Stranger in a Strange School
by Jet556
Summary: One day a new student appears at A. Nigma High. Problem with this guy is that there is something off about him, like his head isn't all there. Lee and Tina notice this and plan to figure out what's wrong with him. Careful, OC included.
1. Chapter 1

**As I enter into Detentionaire fanfictions , I'd just like to state that I work better with OCs, check out my Avatar fanfictions, that is probably why they didn't get so many reviews. Go easy on me.**

** The New Guy**

Lee Ping sat in homeroom. Between Holger talking about "Oldin Man Times" like a madman and trying to clear his name, Lee did not know what to do. His mind was taken away from all that when he noticed a new guy come in the room. With a squared jaw, fingers and muscles, this guy looked like someone out of a comic book, plus the top of his head made him look like Frankenstein's monster. He had brown hair that was medium in length and eyes that were unbelievably grey. His skin was tanned almost looking sunburnt Lee could only imagine the pain. This guys clothes showed how relaxed he was: a golf shirt, blue jeans and one of those newsboy hats from the thirties that was red… weird but there was weird things going on.

"Okay, you can sit to next to Lee Ping." The teacher pointed to an unoccupied seat next to Lee. The new guy looked at the seat, then looked at Lee and shrugged. The new guy walked over to his desk and sat down. Lee looked at the guy and smiled, just to make him feel like anything but a stranger.

"Hey, as the teacher said, I'm Lee Ping." The new guy looked at Lee with eyes that showed no interest in any people.

"Basil Hagen." Lee thought the name over. Basil Hagen? That sounded like- "Sounds like an old man name? I know, I hate it too, so until I can change my first name to something better just call me Hagen." Lee thought that over. He was not thinking about how his name sounded like an old man's name, more like a supervillain's! And his voice! There was no emotion, no accent, nothing. His voice was like a computer's.

"Hello, Hagen, me is Holger, the football team's boy of water!" Hagen looked at Holger with eyes that showed the same amount of interest as they had in Lee. His eyes, they looked like he was in a trance or a coma or something! Or was he faking the whole thing?

"Holger, that's nice, now leave me alone." Hagen turned his head and looked down at his desk. Lee looked at Hagen, almost analyzing what he had seen. What was wrong with Hagen? Had he been brainwashed or something? Was he asleep? Seriously, what was wrong with him? Lee's thoughts about this were forgotten when the T.V. in the room came on. There was Chaz and Tina as usual. As Lee watched the screen, he could see Hagen's head rise to look at the screen out of the corner of his eye. What was with this guy? The blank look on his face had completely vanished, watching the screen with interest that was going on. Lee had no idea what was going on, this new guy seemed like he was in a trance one minute and now it seemed that he was actually interested in what was going on around him. There was something going on with him, connected to that prank song maybe, but sooner or later Lee would find out.


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay, were back real soon. Thought I'd update on my late dad's birthday. Wow, that's weird for me, nineteen years old and I'm updating on my dad's birthday but he did say that if I want to become an author then I've got to keep going because practice makes perfect. Hope you all enjoy this and I hope that everyone is in character so I don't get any criticism for out-of-character moments.**

**My Name is not neither an Herb nor a Spice!**

In second period, Tina Kwee sat in her desk. She didn't pay attention to who came in, only thinking about she hated a certain obnoxious idiot. So much so that she didn't notice a rather expressionless faced, square looking guy talk to the teacher. Then her thoughts were completely demolished by angry shouting.

"What did you just call me?" Tina looked at the boy, new to the school, her age, wearing one of those newsboy caps and had impossibly grey eyes.

"I'm sorry it was just a slip of the tongue!" The teacher looked at the boy who just a few minutes ago seemed devoid of all emotion.

"What did you just call me?" Tina would have stood up but the last thing she wanted to be doing was making the news instead of reporting it. This boy was strange.

"Will you calm down?" The teacher did not look happy with his new student.

"My name is neither an herb nor a spice!" Tina started to think about what the new boy had just said. There was only one name that she thought of that would be the same name of a herb or spice and a boy: Basil. That alone could be very unfortunate if people kept pronouncing it as the herb instead of the name. No doubt this was the new student that Lee had mentioned when she bumped into him on her way to class.

"Alright, I'm sorry, now can you please go sit next to Tina?" The teacher pointed at the seat next to Tina. She watched as Basil turned his head and was horrified as the angry look on his face turned into an expressionless one. It was just like how Lee had described it, like Basil was in a trance. But something weird happened. Basil's eyes seemed to shine as if he recognized her from the morning's news. His expressionless face turned to one of shock and he nodded to the teacher's instructions. Tina watched as Basil sat down next to her, not looking a little a nervous.

"Basil?" Tina spoke to Basil just before he started to look down at his desk. The grey-eyed boy turned his head, the nervous look from a few seconds ago still there. "Hi!" Tina raised a hand and waved at him.

Basil's eyes darted from her hand to the floor. There wasn't much of a distance so why was she waving? "Hi." Basil was unusually quiet, from the brief description Lee had given and what she had just seen, Tina expected him to either be loud or… she didn't know what but not quiet. "You called me by my name, not by the name of whatever the hell that is."

"Well, I don't think it would be nice to call you by the name of the herb." Tina expected him to insist that she call him by his last name: Hagen. Strangely, he did not. She watched as Basil turned his head muttering something under his breath, something about… threatening a fire extinguisher? From these first moments of knowing Basil, Tina thought he was a nice guy, odd and maybe a little shy but still a nice guy. While waiting for the five minutes in between classes to end, Tina looked at the cap that Basil was wearing.

"So… from that hat I'd guess you're into the news." Tina didn't expect an answer but she got one.

"No, just like the hat." Basil's voice was quite and shy. He didn't turn to look at her he just looked at his desk. What did he do most of the time look at the floor? She was actually surprised to look at her and asked "Do you know Lee Ping?"

"Uh, yes." Tina tapped her foot quietly. First muttering about threatening a fire extinguisher now asking if she knew Lee? Did this guy have any pattern to how he interacted with people. "You do know that he pranked the entire school, right?" Tina winced when she finished her question. Basil was new so he wouldn't know about that.

"Did he?" Basil turned his head back to his desk. "I had no idea." Tina continued to tap her foot.

"So do you want to join the news team?"

"No, not really." Basil scratched his right ear. Tina jumped a bit when she noticed a scar behind the ear. "I'm kind of shy."

"So I've noticed." Tina swallowed and then asked about what she just saw. "So… h-how did you get that scar behind your ear?" This question caused the emotionless look on his face, the look that Lee had seen during his entire first period, to show up.

"It doesn't matter." Basil turned back to looking back at his desk and then class began. Tina didn't speak to Basil again after that. Truth be told, she was unsure about him, wondering why there were times that seemed like he was in trance. She did think he was a nice guy, it was just that she wondered why he was in that trance-like state sometimes and wondered if it could be connected to the mysterious Coral Grove.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey, guys, back with a new chapter. Planning to not have Basil Hagen appear for the next few chapters, he will mentioned but not will appear.**

**Angry Guy**

Later at lunch, Lee walked to detention. Finding out who Radcircles was and the arrival of Hagen was weird. Radcircles was a bit of a pain, especially with that "cat and mouse" thing Lee had gone through and the question if Radcircles really was good old Principal Wurst that just lead to more question: why did Wurst frame him or was he trying warn Lee about something?

Lee's thoughts were interrupted when he heard an angry yell. The voice sounded like Hagen's, it sounded like Hagen's voice without sounding like it was in a trance. Lee ran around a corner and saw Chaz clutching his stomach. Tina was standing not far away, her back against a locker, visibly frightened.

"Whoa!" Lee looked down at Chaz and then at the frightened Tina. There was a few students walking past, looking for Hagen maybe. "What happened to him?"

"Basil punched him." Tina looked down at Chaz. "And he stole our camera!"

"What?" Lee looked at the shaking Tina. Hagen punched Chaz and then stole the news crews' camera? Well, that explained where the cameraman was, probably trying to get his camera back. "Never would have guessed that Hagen was violent."

"Violent?" Tina looked down at Chaz. "That would be a stretch."

"It's not a stretch!" Chaz stood up, still clutching his stomach. "He punched me for no reason!"

"You called him 'Frankenstein.'" Tina glared at Chaz. Lee's jaw dropped. Was Hagen violent? Not a chance. Bad tempered? Most likely! The term 'loose cannon' was suddenly coming to mind. "With the shape of his head can you blame him?"

"And you guys were interviewing him, why now?" That question was on Lee's mind ever since he heard the word "camera." Of all people, why interview the new student? It didn't make any sense.

"We weren't." Tina looked down. Clearly, she had been frightened of what she saw. "Chaz bumped into Basil, called him Frankenstein and then he punched Chaz." Lee thought about all of that. Made some sense, maybe. However that did not explain why Hagen stole the camera. "And he shoved me against the lockers!" Lee frowned, angrily. Hagen was going too far. "He then said something weird, started out kind off nice but ended up being real weird." Real weird? Holger weird? Maybe, Holger had a reason for being weird but it was normal for him. Hagen could have been that kind of weird. "He said 'you're a good person, Tina. Too bad you're a part of the same group with Chaz. Now, I have to go threaten a fire extinguisher.'"

"Bad tempered and insane?" Lee didn't even have to think about that. For some reason, just with Hagen, it made perfect sense. Didn't explain what happened to his voice sounding like it was in a trance when he got angry. Tina was about to reply when loud footsteps were heard. It was Barrage. No doubt about it.

"Okay, I'm getting to detention." Lee started back on his way. This left Chaz, still in pain, and Tina, literally in Barrage's shadow.

"Associating with a convict?" Barrage's voice was menacing He probably didn't even care what Basil Hagen had done. Tina merely shook here head in response. Wondering the same things as Lee: What was wrong with Basil?


	4. Chapter 4

**Welcome back. As I said before, Basil Hagen will be absent for a while… physically at least. I didn't say anything about him not being heard or being mentioned. That's just how it is going to be.**

**Tipped Off**

Lee moved through the air vents. Barrage hadn't caught onto him yet, neither had the cleaners. At least he hoped they hadn't. The Tatzel Worm? He wasn't sure about the Tatzel Worm. Lee just didn't know what it was about the Tatzel Worm or if that dream he had was even a dream, but the Tatzel Worm did seem to be helping him out.

Then there was Hagen. To Lee, Hagen was a loose canon. He had frightened Tina, nearly hurt her, it didn't seem that Hagen was as harmless as he first believed, harmless but weird. Or maybe he was-

"Lee!" Biffy's voice rang through Lee's ears. "You even listening to me?"

"Yeah, sorry about that." Lee stopped to listen to Biffy. "Right here?"

"Yep!" Biffy's voice sounded encouraging, weird for a guy who only tolerated him. "Just be careful, I have no idea but that part of the school is crawling with cleaners. It's almost like someone tipped them off." Tipped them off? Who would have known that Lee would be coming here? It didn't make any sense. "You don't think it was that new guy who tipped the cleaners off do you?"

"How do you-"

"Hey, it's me!" Lee sighed. There was a part of him that doubted Biffy saw everything but he was Lee's eyes and ears. "So do you?"

"I don't know." Lee breathed. This was hard to explain. "Hagen's personality… it seems so… so… inconsistent." Lee jumped down into the room below, a broom closet. He had to track down the Down with Lee Club. He knew Ed and Irwin had nothing to do with the prank but there was still a chance it could have been them. Giuseppe Stern? Maybe, but why would a Goth was to frame him? This would have been so much easier if he knew which room the club was in.

Lee opened the door, poked his head out and looked around. He quickly pulled his head back into the broom closet. The cleaners really were crawling all over this part of the school.

"Watch it!" Biffy's voice once again rang through his ears. "Barrage is coming!" Lee heard Barrage's voice and footstep. It wasn't as much his footstep that caused so much alarm for Lee it was Barrage's voice. He was talking to someone, someone Lee knew.

"You better not be pulling my leg, new recruit!" New recruit? Hagen! It would seem that Hagen had somehow found out about Lee's plan. But how could he have? Lee continued to listen as a mop leaned against him.

"No, sir." It was Hagen's voice but he sounded scared. Lee wished he could have opened the door but someone could have noticed him and he'd be done for. "I just have reason to believe that a prankster in detention would escape to cause more trouble, presumably for that club that is against him." Lee frowned. Hagen was suspicious of him so he tipped off Barrage and his henchmen.

"You better hope Ping is in this area, for your sake." Lee could hear what sounded like a frightened cry come from Hagen. "Otherwise you'll be joining him for one whole month." Once again, Lee heard that frightened cry come from Hagen. It sounded like how Lee would describe as what he'd imagine a dying moose would sound like. "Also, I won't take kindly to being brought along on this wild goose chase, got that recruit?"

"Well, I did say beware of escaped detentionaires and snooping girl reporters." Lee clenched his fist. Hagen had also tipped them off about Tina, but what did he mean by her snooping?

"You did and that makes me think you're my kind of person." Barrage's comment made Lee's skin crawl. "Even if you had been there and heard Ping claim that he's innocent you would have not believed that lie of his."

"He did what?" The shock in Hagen's voice made Lee jump a bit. He had no idea that Hagen could show that much emotion. "Well maybe I'm wrong." Lee imagined he could hear Barrage turn his head to look down at Hagen. "Maybe he's back at attention, being a good student. After all he did save you and those other students."

"He did, but do you expect me to go easy on him?"

"I didn't say-"

"True I do have some respect for him but that still makes what he did unforgivable."

"Well yes but-"

"And here you are showing doubt, being confused about what kind of a person Ping is." Lee heard Hagen step back a bit. It was obviously him he wasn't loud like Barrage. "Now, Mr. Hagen, what are you going to do?"

"I'll… go see what Ms. Kwee is up to then, eh?" Hagen's question wasn't what caught Lee's ear. He heard guilt in Hagen's voice, as if he knew he did something wrong and rightly so.

"Is that a hint of guilt I hear in your voice, rookie?" Barrage had heard the guilt in Hagen's voice, too. Lee didn't hear any response come from Hagen but he guessed that Hagen must have shook his head instead of saying no. "Good, now move soldier!" Lee heard running. It would seem that Hagen had left but that meant Barrage and the psycho cleaners were still out there. Another time, perhaps. Lee climbed back into the vent, with plenty of difficulty, only narrowly avoiding being found by Barrage and the cleaners. This meant the race was on for him to get back to detention.

"Hey, I'm back!" Lee spoke into his Bluetooth. "And get this, it was Hagen who tipped off the cleaners, he was with Barrage."

"Want me to beat him up?" Biffy's question was confusing. Was he serious? Was he joking?

"What? No! I think he was feeling guilty, he sounded guilty anyway!" Lee thought about what he heard as he crawled through the vents. Finally, he got back to the detention room. "I didn't actually see him this time but Hagen sounded scared when he was with Barrage."

"You think he's up to something?" Biffy's question was a good one, one that Lee also had one on his mind.

"I don't know." Sighed Lee. "I just don't know."

**I promised that Basil wouldn't make a physical appearance. He appeared, voice only. Well there was a vocal appearance in this chapter and a simple mentioning of him in the previous chapter, what will happen in the next chapter? Who knows? Oh, and thanks to tank destroyer for the suggestion of the scene between Barrage and Hagen.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Welcome back. Basil makes another vocal appearance in this chapter. I am open to suggestions for ideas for future chapters, so if you've got any send me a personal message.**

**A Warning**

Tina sat in the studio alone. Normally, she would be on her way home but today was different. She sat there, trying to wrap her head around Basil's arrival. Was he a part of the Coral Grove cult? Why didn't he hurt her any more than shoving her into a locker? The more she thought about it the more Tina kept drawing a blank.

There were other thoughts on her mind. She thought about Lee. He was avoiding sometimes, he had a relationship with Brandy it all told Tina that Lee didn't like her. But that couldn't have been true could it? Brandy was a horrible person Tina simply couldn't believe that Lee, the boy that she had known for so long, would be dating Brandy.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door! Tina jumped a bit. The knock was loud and Tina had not expected it. She walked toward the door but stopped within a few feet.

"Yes?" Tina's voice was nervous. She was afraid that it would have been Brandy come to taunt her, Chaz to argue with her or Barrage to berate her for something.

"T-Tina, y-y-you in there?" The voice had a stutter but it was unmistakably Basil. Two questions came to Tina's mind, the first was why was Basil stuttering the second was why had he ask for her specifically?

"Uh, yes." Tina thought that would have been answer. Who else would Basil had expected to find? "Basil, why are you stuttering?"

"No reason." Tina rolled her eyes. Basil had a reason but he simply didn't want to say. "You know, you better avoid Principal Barrage."

"I know, he's been on my case as much as he's been on…" Tina stopped for moment. How did Basil know that she had been snooping around? "… Basil?"

"Yeah?"

"What did you say to-"

"I may have told Principal Barrage to beware of escaped detentionaires and snooping girl reporters." There was a short silence. Tina thought for a moment. 'Escaped detentionaires' meant Lee but she never told Basil that Lee had gotten yearlong detention for the big prank. He must have worked thought out himself, but then how did he know that she was looking into the mysterious Coral Grove?

"Why would you do that?" This was surprising because Tina didn't think of Basil as the sort of person who would side with as brutal a person as Barrage. "Why would you tip off Barrage about Lee constantly leaving detention and me investigating the disappearances of two staff members?"

"I never said Lee." Basil's quickness told Tina that it was Lee that Basil had indirectly mentioned. "Wait, he's been leaving detention before?"

"I figured it out and yeah, he's been sneaking out of detention a few times now." Tina still needed one thing answered. "Why did you turn on your-"

"My what?" Tina backed away from the aggressive sound in Basil's voice. He hadn't come into the newsroom he hadn't even opened the door. "My classmates? My friends? Let me tell you something, I've got no friends and that's because no one has ever treated me with kindness. Because of problems with my voice and the shape of my head and treated like a freak."

"But I don't—" Tina was hurt. Basil was practically accusing her of treating him the way others did.

"You were with Chaz earlier, the way I see it anyone who works with a jerk like him can't be too different." Tina heard a long sigh from Basil. She shuddered to think about what he was going to say next. "This conversation is over, I'll see you tomorrow." Tina heard Basil walk away. She collapsed to the floor, extremely hurt by his words. Tina didn't view Basil the same way Chaz did, why couldn't he see that?


	6. Chapter 6

**Welcome back. Day 1 is over, and the second day begins.**

**The Birds**

The next morning, when Basil walked into school he was greeted by Lee and Tina. Basil gave them a look of disinterest and walked past them to his locker.

"What? No good morning?" Lee expected at least a 'hello'. "I know you tipped off Barrage and the cleaners so how about you tell me why?"

"Why should I tell you anything?" Basil worked at his lock, not turning to look at Lee. "Either you are a prankster or you're not, so what if I felt guilty about tipping you off?" Lee glared at Basil he still didn't turn to look at him. "The way I see it, since all of you think of me as freak the best I can do is suck up to the Principal, Vice Principal and Cleaners to ensure no mishaps on my part."

"Suck up?" Tina's voice cut deep into Basil. He cringed when she spoke. "You're sucking up to a man who has spy photos of the previous principal."

"Okay, that makes him crazier." Lee could only wonder about what Tina was talking about. "Oh, and you realize you're sucking up to a half-cybernetic, ex-military, black ops killing machine, right? On the day he started our old principal just kind of disappeared, okay now I suddenly realize Tina's point."

"Point, what point?" Basil continued trying to unlock his locker. "You two seem to think that Barrage is responsible for the old principal's disappearance. Maybe the old principal just became paranoid and left."

"How about the army of psycho cleaners at his command?" Lee watched as Basil struggled with his lock. This was embarrassing. "Totally normal, right?"

"I'll admit that the cleaners are bizarre but – Oh, I was one number off—what is it you really want to talk about?" Basil opened his locker and pulled two books out of it, one pink in color with the title 'Book of Quotations' and the other blue in color with the title 'Greek Mythology.' "You can't possibly want to talk about my alignment with the principal instead of the student body."

"Actually, we wanted to talk about-" A rumbling sound started to come from a nearby air vent. Lee and Tina watched as Basil started looking around with a nervous look on his face.

"The birds!" he cried. "They're coming after me!" Tina placed a hand on Basil's shoulder.

"Relax, it's probably just the Tatzelwurm, the school's mascot." Basil didn't relax at all. He just kept looking around. Lee sighed.

"Great, Holger has a blinding fear of primates and you have a blinding fear of birds." Basil didn't even hear Lee's comment, Tina heard it clearly and she looked at the scar behind Basil's ear. She only wondered what kind of a bird it was that got him to cause this big a fear of birds. An eagle? A raven? An owl? A vulture?

"Don't you lump me with the freakazoid from mars!" Lee rolled his eyes. Basil hadn't even been there a week an already he knew what Holger was being called. What did Basil have to be afraid of, it was just the Tatzelwurm going through the vents… okay, so that thing had threatened bodily harm very often for a school mascot but it definitely wasn't birds. The sound stopped and Basil and gave a sigh of relief. "Okay, what were you saying?"

"We just wanted to talk about what you meant by no one liking you." Tina took her hand off of Basil's shoulder now that he had relaxed. "I like you, I think you're a nice guy."

"Well, gee thanks." The obvious tone of sarcasm did not make Tina convinced that Basil actually was thankful. Basil's voice changed to a tone that could only be described a being cold. "Unfortunately, you don't count for anything with a school this big."

"You know you could easily fix that problem of yours if you weren't such a jerk." Basil turned around and looked at Lee angrily.

"Don't you dare lump me together with the principal, that wannabe gangsta friend of yours and the school bully." Lee laughed at Basil, not because of what he had called Cam and Biffy but because of what he called Barrage.

"Dude, you just admitted to sucking up to a jerk." Tina started to laugh a bit, too. The look on Basil's face as he realized what he had just said was so priceless it was funny. "What's the matter? No witty come back?" Basil just shook his head.

"We'll talk, later." Basil's voice was showing emotion that was something that seemed impossible for him before. "I've gotta wrap my head around this." With that, Basil walked away. Lee would have walked with him but he understood that Basil needed his space they could always talk in class.

Lee then turned his head to look at Tina. He loved her but he was being blackmailed into being Brandy's boyfriend. He only wondered about how she felt about him. He hoped Tina felt the same way but he was afraid that she didn't.

Now Basil was here as a wildcard. He seemed to be one at least. Lee liked Basil just like Tina did. He didn't seem him as being trouble, just confused. The realization that Barrage was a jerk and that he had been sucking up to him seemed to have gotten to Basil and that only made Lee wonder what Basil was thinking.

As Lee looked at Tina, he noticed that Basil's locker door was still open. Closing it, he heard fast footsteps, footsteps in heels. Oh, no.

"Lee Ping!" Lee sighed. He knew it. It was Brandy it was too obvious. "What are you doing talking to-"

"Actually, we were talking to Basil-"

"Don't you tell me you were talking to that new guy!" Brandy was angry, but then again she seemed to be angry ninety percent of the time. "Just take a look at this picture that was e-mailed to the entire school!" Brandy held out her phone, it showed a picture of her with snakes for hair. Tina giggled at the sight of this. "The school is laughing at me!"

"Better work than Irwin." Muttered Lee. "You must have really ticked someone off." Lee knew who it was. Tina probably did, too.

"If you know who did this then tell me so I can make their life miserable." Lee thought about what Brandy had said. Wouldn't help if she started persecuting Basil then that would not help Basil's view of no one liking him.

"Can't say I know." Lee shook his head and watched ad Brandy walked away angrily. He knew the same thing Tina did, this would be making the school news.


	7. Chapter 7

**Welcome back, gang. Now I spent a lot of time thinking about this chapter and I hope you enjoyed it. P.S. I'm open to suggestions for future chapters.**

**Not So Bad**

Lee sat in homeroom. Next to him sat Holger, the two were discussing Basil's fear of birds. Holger could not understand it one bit.

"But why?" Holger might have been using his 'indoor voice' but it was almost just as loud as his 'outdoor voice.' "Why is Basil afraid of pretty wing flappers?" Lee thought about Holger had said. There was something that sounded not right but he didn't want to point it out.

"I don't know all I know is that he was going crazy." Lee thought about the way Basil had been acting when he thought that birds were trying to get at him. Never saw a guy act like that, like he was about to have a mental breakdown! Lee turned his head as Basil walked towards his desk, looking a bit better after his realization that Barrage was jerk and that he'd been sucking up to him. "You look better." Basil sat down and placed his books on his desk, the Greek mythology book clearly there.

"Much better!" Basil placed his hands behind his head. "Much, much better." A sly grin spread across Basil's face.

"Really, well was making Brandy look like Medusa what made you feel better?" Lee whispered to Basil, he did not want Holger to use his 'outdoor voice.' Basil's face had an expression of shock on it. Slowly, he turned his head to look at Lee.

"How'd you know it was me?" Lee pointed at Basil's Greek mythology book. Basil closed his eyes in the painful realization of what a mistake he had made.

"Actually, I saw it when Tina and me were at your locker." Basil opened his eyes. Lee understood that this wasn't a painful realization but an ambiguous one. "And I think Tina saw it, too."

"Great, I'm about to make the news and not in a good way." Basil sighed. "I knew I should have chosen something from Norse mythology." Basil sighed again. "And now Brandy is going to end up beating the ever loving crap out of me!"

"Gee, I wonder what could be worse." Mused Lee. "Being blackmailed into a relationship with Brandy or being beaten senseless with her." Basil looked at Lee with a questioning look.

"Dude, what'd you do?" Lee shook his head.

"It's not as much as what I did do, as what I am doing." Basil thought for a moment about Lee's reply. The answer then came to him.

"You are!" Lee nodded. "And Brandy knows?" Lee nodded again. " Basil looked around awkwardly. "That is an interesting question then. Which is worse?" The television screen in the room then turned on. Just like yesterday, Chaz and Tina were there. Lee watched as Basil started to fidget in his seat. He was nervous and for good reason. The entire explanation over the arrival of the picture had Basil trembling in fear.

"And get this newsy news." Chaz's voice was making Basil's skin crawl. If Tina knew it was him he'd know just how painful it would be to be beaten to a pulp by a girl. Chaz held up print out of the picture. "It seems like someone turned Brandy Silver into Medusa, let's hope whoever did this doesn't get turned to stone!"

"We have…" Tina trailed off. She knew what would end up happening to Basil Lee did as well. "We have no idea who could have sent it and it is probably just as well." Chaz gave Tina a suspicious look but finally moved on to other news. Basil relaxed and looked over at Lee.

"You and her, you're not so bad." Lee smiled. Judging from the tone of Basil's voice it was probably his way of saying thanks.

"Thanks, and by the way, Medusa?" Lee laughed. "You couldn't think of something else?"

"Like what?" Basil laughed in return. "A harpy? A sphinx?"

"Good point." Lee and Basil talked for the rest of the class. While they did their work, they discussed the high school that Basil had originally come from. From what Lee could gather it was not as strange was A. Nigma but still pretty strange. "So what happened? You get expelled?"

"No, got a late move to the city." Explained Basil. "I actually come from another city nearby."

"Why'd you move?" Lee was starting to understand Basil.

"Dad died, mom felt it would be better to live in the provincial capital because her home office was closer then."

"Oh? Where's she work?"

"Not as much as where as whom." Lee rolled his eyes.

"Okay then, who's she work for?"

"The Brigadoon Theater Company."

"The travelling theater company?" Basil nodded. "So that means-"

"She's only home once a month." Basil laughed. Lee raised an eyebrow. "Suits her, she barely cared when my dad's health started to fail, she rarely showed any interest in me, choosing to see how well I do on my own." Lee thought about what Basil had said, whether he was exaggerating or not. True, his own mom was kind of harsh but then again she was also one of his teachers. "I just hope I'm what she wants me to be." Lee was puzzled at this.

"What is that?" Basil shrugged.

"I don't know, independent maybe." Lee didn't want to question that. It was obvious that Basil didn't know either. Basil tapped his finger while he wrote an answer down. "So, what's going on between you and Tina?"

"It's complicated." Lee thought back to when he had played Alexander Nigma, when he had to kiss Brandy to make her stop talking. Tina had seen what he did. She did seem to have feelings for him, just like how he had feelings for her, but Brandy was in the way.

"True love never did rum smoothly." Lee turned his head to look at Basil. What he said, it fit so well with the position he was in, but could he have known? Did he really figure it out that easily? "Yes, I figured it out and your secret's safe with me and I'll explain some other time." Lee smiled, Basil was not so bad, not so bad at all.


	8. Chapter 8

**Welcome back, gang. I'm always open to suggestions but I'd prefer if you sent me then via personal message. So in the last chapter we got to learn about Basil a bit more and we also learned that he doesn't really like Brandy. In this chapter, just not does he interact with both Lee and Tina, but with Brandy too! Enjoy.**

**Medusa's Glare**

Lee and Basil walked their way to their respective parts of the school. Lee had spare, which meant he should have been in detention, but as long as Barrage didn't find him, then he was okay. Basil on the other hand, had class with Tina.

What Tina had said on the news had changed Basil. Yesterday, he had been expressionless. Today, he had a small smile. He was different now. He had talked with Lee of his own free will.

As the two walked, they eventually bumped into Tina. Tina was a bit startled by the smile on Basil's face but she did feel happy that he was a little less shy about being in a new school.

"Thanks." Basil looked at Tina with eyes that were trusting.

"You're welcome." Tina had seen the book labeled Greek Mythology. She didn't want to bring Brandy's wrath down on Basil. "So why don't you like Brandy?"

"Yeah, no one does something like that for no reason." Lee wouldn't do something like what Basil did. No matter how Brandy treated him or how much she blackmailed him, he just wouldn't do anything like that. Basil was about to respond when something came to Lee's ears and Basil's, too. It was the sound of footsteps in high heels.

"Bryan!" Brandy's voice rang out as she walked towards Basil.

"It's Basil!" Lee laughed at this. First Brandy had called him 'Leaping' and now she was calling Basil 'Bryan.' At least she was calling him by a name and not an action. Could have been worse. She could have been calling Basil by the name of the herb.

"Whatever!" Basil groaned. He really didn't like Brandy and didn't want her attention either. "Look, I'm not thrilled to be your partner in drama either but I wouldn't send a picture of you that had snakes for hair!"

"What are you talking about?" Basil was playing dumb. It was obvious to Lee and Tina.

"Only a Greek guy would send a picture like that, Mr. Hagen!" Lee was about to butt in when Basil responded.

"Hagen's not a Greek name, you dumb blonde I'm German-Irish!" Lee smiled. Basil had pointed out what he was going to. Tina found herself laughing, not because of Basil calling Brandy a dumb blonde, but because of what this reminded her of. "Oh, and by the way, blackmailing Lee into being your boyfriend? What's the matter? Are you too stuck up to actual have a relationship with something that's not your reflection?"

"Excuse me?" Brandy glared at Basil. Both Lee and Tina imagined Basil turning to stone. The picture of Brandy with snakes for hair was just too hilarious. "You purposefully made yourself an outcast on your first day, so don't judge me."

"What the hell does that have to do with anything?" Brandy slapped Basil. It was completely without warning and shocked both Lee and Tina. Basil seemed to be kind of dazed. Lee made a note of not to get slapped by Brandy. "What are you going to do now? Slap me again and then kiss me?"

"Ew!" Brandy's reaction caused Basil to frown angrily. "I wouldn't kiss you even if my life depended on it." Basil sighed. Even his ex-girlfriend didn't want to kiss him when they were going out, but then again she was dating another guy while she was dating him. What was her name again? Brandy snapped her fingers bringing Basil back to the moment at hand.

"Sorry, what were we talking about?" Brandy groaned angrily and walked away. Lee and Tina watched as Brandy walked away. Basil looked at Lee and Tina and then looked at Brandy walking away. "What just happened?" Tina laughed and patted Basil on the shoulder.

"Come on, let's get to class." She pushed Basil in the direction of their class and waved at Lee. All the while, Basil was trying to figure out what just happened and remember both the name and appearance of his ex-girlfriend.


	9. Chapter 9

**Welcome back, gang. Going to skip the rest of the second day to directly after school. And when I say directly, I literally mean directly, after detention. Oh, and for those of you wondering there will be Lee/Tina in this story or as hereby dub it Lena of Tie, take your pick.**

**Home Alone, Formerly**

Basil sat in his living room. He looked at a picture of his parents. His dad, Cassius looked happy, weird for a man who had been having health problems for years. His mom, Sondra for some reason made him think of the Wicked Witch of the West.

He thought for a few seconds. Basil then shook his head and threw the picture aside. He had always wondered what it would be like to be home alone, his dad being an author and sick most of the time meant that he had never gotten his old house to himself. Now that he had a house to himself, Basil liked it.

Basil's thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. Basil got up from the couch he was sitting on to answer the door. When he did answer it he saw Lee, Camillio, Holger, Tina and Biffy on his front porch. Basil raised an eyebrow.

"Lee? Aren't you grounded? Why are you here?" Lee shook his head. He wasn't too thrilled for the reason. Basil could understand how Tina could visit him since she wasn't grounded. That only raised the question of why the other three were there. "Wait a minute, how'd you all find out where I live?"

"Uh, my parents are at the opera so I thought I'd just pay a visit." Basil looked at everyone else. "Them too." Basil did not seem convinced. "And your mailbox has your last name on it." Basil leaned out of the door to look at the mailbox. It had 'The Hagen's' written on it.

"Okay then, now leave." Basil was about to close the door when he was stopped by Biffy. Basil glared at the towering tenth grader who growled in response. "You know I'm prepared to throw the urn holding my dad's ashes at you."

"Dude, you are so bluffing." The shock on Cam's face was the same as everyone else's.

"I am not!" Now where was that urn? The closet? The basement? The attic? Basil's mind raced as he tried to figure out where it was. "Actually, you guys can come in until I remember where the darn thing is." Basil got out of the way and let everyone in. As Lee and Tina stepped in they both looked at him with questioning looks. "What?"

"You wouldn't really throw the urn holding your dad's ashes at us would you?" There was a trace of fright in Tina's voice. She was starting to have a bad feeling about being friends with someone like Basil. Basil closed the door and looked around. He heard Cam, Holger and Biffy in the living room. He then looked at both Lee and Tina. Basil shook his head in response. Tina smiled a bit while Lee kept his questioning look.

"Then why use that particular thing as a threat?" Lee's question was an obvious one. Why would Basil threaten to throw an urn at visitors? Basil shrugged. "Do you always use that?" Basil shook his head. "Okay then."

"No way!" Biffy's excited voice rang through the entire house. "The first edition of 'The Life of King Robert the Bruce.'" Lee and Tina ran into the living room where a bookshelf was. The entire shelf consisted of the books that Basil's dad had written, all fourteen of them. Cassius Hagen's books were popular among teenagers. The most popular of them was 'The Life of King Robert the Bruce." It was popular because of the action and drama in this story out of history that made it something that teenagers couldn't stop reading. Teenagers usually found history boring but for some reason more and more people had been taking history classes because of that book. Basil couldn't understand it. He had never read any of his dad's books. While he heard his guests discuss his dad's books, Basil slumped to the floor.

"I cried at the end of 'The Modern Prometheus!'" Tina's comment made Basil wince in pain. That story of horror and romance that had so much drama in it, it was inspired by 'Frankenstein'. He hated being called Frankenstein and because of that Basil hated that book particularly.

"Hey, take a look at first edition of 'The Legend of Amleth.'" Lee's voice made Basil's skin crawl. That book particularly, the one his dad had written the year Basil had been born it sickened him. "It says 'Dedicated to my son, Basil' on the first page." Basil stood up and walked towards the back door and exited to the backyard. Almost immediately, he heard the back door open. Basil turned his head to see Lee and Tina behind him.

"What do you want?" Basil's voice was cold. It caught both Lee and Tina off guard. They didn't expect this from him.

"Why didn't you tell us who you were?" Tina's voice was calm, friendly, warm, kind how sympathetic she was.

"Your dad was Cassius Hagen." Lee's voice, just like Tina's it was something that Basil was not used to.

"Do I look like I care?" Basil didn't turn to look at either of them. He just stood there looking at a large oak tree. "The only reason anyone wanted to be friends with me was so they could get their copies of his books autographed. Now that he's dead people are all like 'Oh, he's some dead guy's kid, no one cares about him.'"

"Basil, I told my friends about what your life has been like and they all felt sorry for you." Basil turned his head and looked at Lee and Tina. They felt sorry for him?


	10. Chapter 10

**Welcome back, gang. This chapter picks up from where the last one left off.**

**A Stranger Less Strange**

"You feel sorry for me?" Basil was surprised by this revelation. Lee, Tina all of them having sympathy for him? Lee and Tina both nodded. "Thanks, but that doesn't make me less suspicious towards Holger or Cam."

"What are you talking about?" Lee stared at Basil with critical eyes. His comment made Lee feel uneasy.

"You obviously didn't pull the prank, Lee." Lee knew that Basil was going to give some big Sherlock Holmes speech, he just wish Tina didn't have to suffer through it with him. "I can tell I've been on both sides of the tracks. Hell, I've even walked the tracks and you my friend did not pull the prank." Lee started to nod off and Tina started to yawn. Basil was not happy at the sight of this and so hit both of them with his hat. "Pay attention!" Any signs of falling asleep quickly vanished from Lee and Tina Basil had hit hard and spoken both loudly and angrily. "I've got six suspects. My first suspect is Vice Principal Victoria. As I've been told by reliable sources despite being present when the prank happened she was completely clean." Lee and Tina both looked at each other. What sources? "Second is that supposedly Scandinavian friend of yours: Holger Holgaart, simply because his dancing gives me nightmares." Lee and Tina would have protested but it was possible that Basil was half-crazy. "Third is your own mom, Lee. She is brutally overbearing and berates anyone for being less than perfect and that just spells suspicious. Fourth is your friend Camillio, after all does he not use your unwanted popularity? Fifth is Chaz Monorainian. Why? Why not? He's arrogant, pompous, vain and egotistical. Also he does not seem to like either one of you, so I've made my point. Have I? I have no idea. I really wish I knew if I did make a point or if I'm just rambling." Lee and Tina didn't see any point in anything Basil had just said. The only point Basil had was with being suspicious of Victoria. "And suspect number six is none other than Principal General Barrage! I believe that the prank might have just been so he could enforce his term as principal and it really is suspicious of how his predecessor vanished the day he started. Oh, and he makes the principal from my old school look like Auric Goldfinger. Okay, I'm done."

"You know Basil, you might need better evidence for some of those suspects." Tina's response made Basil frown. What could possibly be better evidence and for whom? Basil groaned and walked over to a hammock hanging from the oak tree and a nearby maple tree in the backyard. Sitting down on it, Basil took off his hat, dropped it then stamped a foot on it. "Do you want to talk about something else?" Lee and Tina sat on a bench opposite of the hammock.

"Like what?" Basil was a bit hurt. He did not handle criticism of any kind well.

"Why are you afraid of birds?" Lee was the one who asked the question but it didn't matter. Both he and Tina knew that Basil was Ornithophobic. They just didn't know why.

"I was attacked by a gaggle of geese when I was four." Lee's eyes widened in horror while Tina gasped. "I didn't do anything they just attacked me of their own accord." That would definitely cause a fear of birds. "I got that scar behind my ear from a parrot when I was ten. Birds always come after me, guess they can smell my fear of them, usually I can outrun them but I couldn't outrun that parrot."

"Okay, that's enough of that!" The fright in Tina's voice did not go unnoticed. Lee couldn't imagine what it could be like either, to always be singled out by birds for an attack. "Can we talk about something else, please?"

"Okay, your pick." Basil was unhappy about the bird related memories. It was all over his face. "Actually, my fear of birds made my time in film club hard when we made 'Revenge of the Giant Claw.'"

"Film club?" Lee was interested in this comment.

"Yeah, back at my old school we had a film club." Basil laughed a bit. "We would watch a movie then spend a month working on a similar movie." Basil relaxed, revealing his soul in a way, making Lee and Tina smile. "My first month with the Film Club I was an actor in 'The Black Spirit' inspired by some 30's movie that fits under the mystery, adventure and crime genres." Basil sighed, sounding a bit angry. "I was uncredited for my role of a reporter but I was one of six who did not receive any acknowledgement. "

"That's horrible!" Tina understood why Basil was angry. If she had reported something and found out that the credit had gone to Chaz, she would be angry too.

"It wasn't so bad, the month after that I ended up as both director and star." Basil placed a hand on his side. "Crime, drama, film-noir… 'Gangbuster' was a good one, just don't know why I always got hurt whenever we did a movie in the crime genre." There was a sarcastic tone in Basil's voice. He knew why he got hurt.

"Do you have copies of those?" Lee was interested in what he had learned about Basil but that 'tracks' comment made Lee think that Basil was only on the side that made sense to him: his own. Basil nodded in response to Lee's question. "Can we watch either of them?"

"Sure, 'The Black Spirit' is sixty-two minutes and 'Gangbuster' is ninety-three minutes." Basil grinned. "We can watch both of them."


	11. Chapter 11

**Welcome back, gang. I really hope you enjoy this.**

**A Cold **

As Basil got up from his hammock he, quite possibly on purpose, tripped over his own feet. Falling into a nearby pond in the backyard, Basil felt pain in his back. Lee and Tina watched in horror as Basil's eyes widened in pain, worrying if he could swim. Almost immediately, Basil came out of the pond without some difficulty.

"Darn car crash injury acting up again!" he coughed. Lee and Tina walked towards him to help Basil up. As soon as they did, Basil looked up at them coldly. "I don't need anyone's help, go inside, I'll be in soon. If not come out and make sure that owls haven't torn me apart."

"Are you sure?" Tina looked at Basil worrying that he was just rejecting any help. Basil nodded.

"What car crash injury?" Lee noticed how Basil seemed to intentionally trp. And the sudden mention of a car crash injury? Something was up.

"In!" Basil coughed again. Standing up slowly, watching as Lee and Tina left the backyard. A sly smile forming on his face, Basil took his cell phone out of his pocket. The thing truly was waterproof! He dialed a number and waited a bit.

"Hello?" A guy's voice answered the phone.

"Roman?"

"Basil? That you?" Basil rolled his eyes.

"Who else would it be, Roman?"

"Well, uh, I thought…"

"Thought that my mom had shipped me away to be used to test a techno song that causes people to black out again?" Basil laughed. "Roman Arkham, you know as well as I that my mom wouldn't do something like that. Can't figure out why anyone would make a song like that, after a few weeks I stopped blacking out, built up an immunity." Basil sighed. "That's not why I'm calling."

"Okay… why are you calling then?" Roman was confused. He had known Basil since the first grade and had never been able to find the method to Basil's madness.

"I'm calling to ask what do you know about Lee Ping?" Basil had a lack of social skills and he knew it. He needed information.

"Wait, your going to A. Nigma?" Roman laughed. "Unbelievable! Even by going to the school you don't know who he is? Instead of finishing that book your dad had been writing before he died you should be on the internet sometime!"

"Roman, you're wasting my patience!" Basil yelled into his phone. He then burst into a coughing fit, showing signs of a sore throat.

"Okay, he's the guy who pranked all of A. Nigma on the first day of school."

"What happened?"

"The sprinklers in the auditorium set off, stink bombs went off causing people to vomit on one another, radioactive green paint was dumped on the staff and students, techno music and disco lights were blasted at everyone and frogs were unleashed into the auditorium." Roman laughed. "Gee, you never think about asking anyone at school about it? The guy isn't that hard to miss! He's Asian-Canadian, died his hair red and has a tat on one arm. Guy even looks guilty" Basil thought about everything. In his eyes, Tina had shot down what he said about Lee having been framed. It was obvious that Lee hadn't done the prank, at least to Basil. And techno music? No one liked techno music and Basil seriously doubted that it was the song he had been forced to listen to. "Basil? You there?"

"Yeah, I'll call you some other time or take a train to visit." Basil disconnected and stood up. He walked slowly towards the back door, shivering. He should have thought of some other way to get information. As he walked slowly toward the door and saw it open with both Lee and Tina standing there. "What's the matter? You never see a guy soaked to the bone before?"

"We should cancel the movie night." Lee watched as Basil walked towards the door, still shivering. He had no clue of what had just happened but Basil was acting suspicious. "You should get to bed, we'll leave."

"I never get visitors." Basil coughed. He was getting a sore throat, no doubt about it. "I'm not going to pass up having visitors." The thoughts going on in Basil's mind was about how he had no intentions to prove that Lee didn't pull the prank. Tina believed that Lee had pulled the prank to 'stick it to the man.' Basil though didn't buy it. He had pulled pranks, he had stopped pranks from happening he had played the good and the bad against each other for enjoyment. Basil could tell Lee was innocent Basil just had no intentions of helping Lee. Why should he get involved with someone else's trouble? It was suicidal to do so.

"Basil?" Tina's voice brought Basil out of his thoughts. "Are you-"

"I'm fine." Basil pushed Lee and Tina aside and walked past them. "I'll go get the movies their in the-" Basil sneezed. Lee and Tina were not convinced that Basil was feeling well. "- the basement." He walked over to a door near the kitchen, opened it and started to walk down stairs. Lee and Tina had just sat down on a couch when they heard Basil slip down the stairs. Being wet from head to toe it was only natural that Basil would slip when going down or up stairs. "I'm okay… actually I'll just take a nap down here, you can all leave." Lee and Tina laughed a bit and as everyone left the house, Basil crawled over to an old couch that had seen better days and fell asleep as he heard the door close and lock… lock? Had someone taken his key? He then heard someone coming down the stairs to the basement. He saw a woman in a few moments and he recognized her. He did have her eyes and ears after all. "Hi, mom."

"Had friends over, did we?" Sondra Hagen had a strange way of talking. She often used 'did we' in conversation. Basil nodded to her question. "Had a little tumble into the pond did we?" Basil nodded again barely awake. "Well, then take a rest and remember that we're not done with you yet." Basil's eyes shut. Sick and in the company of his mother, the unconscious Basil was 'safe.'


	12. Chapter 12

**Welcome back, gang. Now, last chapter Basil was left with a cold and a leg injury. We continue the day after Lee's birthday. Enjoy.**

**Basil Hagen: Candle Maker?**

Couple of days later, Basil showed up at school with a crutch. He was sitting at a table outside of the gym selling… candles? When Lee saw this he couldn't believe his eyes.

"Lee!" Basil waved at Lee an unusually cheery look was on his face. Lee raised an eyebrow because he had never seen Basil this happy. "So sorry that I missed your birthday, have a free candle!" Basil threw a red candle at Lee who caught it. Looking at the candle, Lee saw that it was only thick string wrapped in wax. Cam and Holger looked at the candle and then looked Basil. He made this? "It's not that hard! Anyone can make them. Oh, and no free candles for you two, you'll have to pay twice of what everyone else pays: ten bucks."

"What? Twenty bucks for a candle?" Cam starred at Basil. He had to be joking. "Are you loco, dude?"

"No, not twenty bucks." Basil placed his arms around some nearby candles as some jocks walked by. "Everyone else has to pay five bucks, you two and Chaz have to pay ten simply because I don't like you."

"But Basil no like no one." Holger walked over to the table, pointing at a blue candle. He handed Basil ten dollars and Basil handed him the candle.

"Oh, that's not true." Basil stood up with some difficulty as some girls walked his way. He then proceeded to hobble towards them on his crutch, staying off his right leg. "Hello, ladies, would any of you like to buy some candles? Pretty candles for pretty ladies!" Basil blinked. "Wait, none of you are my ex-girlfriend whose name and appearance I can't remember are you?" The girls shook their heads. "Oh, thank goodness." Basil swallowed and then heard the same thing that Lee heard: footsteps in heels! Hobbling over to protect his merchandise, Basil saw Brandy approach.

"Lee Pi-" Brandy was cut short when she saw Basil on the crutch. "What happened to you, Basil?" She ran over to him, concern in her voice. Basil believed the concern was because he was her partner in drama class but he wouldn't mind her treating him with some respect.

"I got into a fight with three guys." Basil looked over at Cam and Holger, both of them knew who the third guy was and that Basil had not gotten into any fight. "It was long but I ultimately emerged the victor with only a leg injury." Brandy looked at Basil with a far off look in her eyes. She seemed to buy it.

"Basil, I had no idea you were so-"

"Yes, I'm incredible, aren't I?" At that moment Tina arrived. Watching with the same look of disbelief that was in the eyes of Lee, Cam and Holger. Was this for real?

"What is… How... " Tina tried to say something but she didn't want to ruin Basil's moment of playing the part of the trickster. She knew all to well why Basil on a crutch the same way that Lee, Cam and Holger did. She might not have liked Brandy but Tina couldn't believe that even she could fall for what Basil was saying.

"And then I threw the last of them into a dumpster." Basil had described his fictional attackers as being Barrage's height. Basil just loved this. Brandy was eating up the lie he had told.

"So when did you make the candles?" Tina raised her voice a bit to get Basil's attention. Lee was wondering the same thing.

"I made these during my sick day." Basil stepped aside to show Brandy his work. She looked at the candles and then looked at Basil.

"What? No pink candles?" The proud look on Basil's face turned to one that implied he was insulted.

"Pink?" Basil's right eye ticked as he said the word. "Pink is a stupid color! A color without dignity! Red, blue, yellow, green, orange, purple, black and white are colors with dignity, real colors! I have no intention to sell any candles to you, Glamazon! Good day!" There was clapping from all around as people who had stopped to watch, initially to laugh at the short argument ended up applauding Basil's refusing to sell to one of the Glamazons. Basil hobbled behind his table and sat down. "Okay, who wants a candle?" People began to line up, paying for the candles. Sure, they'd probably never use them but they did make good house decorations. As Basil made his money he heard a loud footstep, so did Lee and all the other students. It was Barrage!

"Well, what have we here?" Basil looked up with wide eyes at Barrage. Lee and Tina slowly started to back away but bumped into the cleaners. "Mr. Hagen selling candles? It just ain't right."

"Sir, 'ain't' isn't a word." Basil let out a choked scream as Basil placed a hand around Basil's throat: the robotic one, and lifted him into the air.

"Don't you give ME lip!" Barrage yelled at Basil, with the student showing visible fear. "Why haven't you been reporting to me on the actions of Lee Ping and Ms. Kwee?"

"Well then here is my letter of resignation." Basil pulled a sheet of lined paper out of his pocket and threw it into Barrage's face. In response to this Barrage dropped Basil back into his chair and looked at the sheet of paper that had two words written on it: I quit. "I'm not going to be your-"

"Do you want to be expelled?"

"Nothing to report, sir." Basil looked down at the table as Barrage smiled.

"Good, now as you were." As Barrage walked away, the cleaners following him, Basil waved a fist in his direction. Basil then looked over at Lee and Tina, both of them having unimpressed looks on their faces.


	13. Chapter 13

**Welcome back, gang. After having watched the new episode of Detentionaire, I've decided to dash the plan of Brandy being Basil's love interest (which I'm sure you saw hints of) and instead run with him not being able to remember his ex-girlfriend as a running gag until I've decided to give Basil a love interest.**

**Murder!**

Basil hobbled out of class. Followed by Lee and Holger. The cheerful look on Basil's face was still there. This had Lee puzzled and he wasn't too happy about Basil being forced into being a spy for Barrage.

"Okay, so any particular reason why you're in a good mood?" Basil stopped hobbling and turned to look at Lee.

"Reason?" Basil laughed. Does someone really need a reason to be in a good mood?"

"When it's you, there has to be a reason." Tina's voice made Basil jump. She wasn't easy to hear coming. Lee, Holger, Brandy, Basil could hear them coming no problem but Tina was hard for him to hear coming.

"Okay, I'll tell you." Basil clutched his crutch, attempting and failing to prevent himself from falling over as he rested against a locker. "I realized as I was making candles yesterday that I'm not in my old city anymore."

"Basil happy about being in new city?" Basil looked at Holger. He really didn't like this guy.

"No, Heimdall, that's not why I'm happy." Basil continued to try and prevent himself from falling over. He was losing that battle and facing the exit. "I'm happy because my archenemy is…" Basil trailed off, his eyes widening in horror. There was an oversized turkey vulture flying towards the entrance to the school! Basil let out a frightened yelp "Oh, no!" Lee, Holger and Tina followed Basil's gaze and sure enough they saw the turkey vulture, it was the size of Shetland sheepdog! Tina gasped as Basil pushed her forward. "Sacrifices must be made!" And sure enough, Basil was in no longer in danger of falling over as he began to hobble away. Lee starred angrily as he watched Basil retreat. He'd pay for that.

The vulture let out a horrible cackle, worse than hearing a garbage truck drive by when trying to sleep was how the cackle was described. As Lee stood in front of Tina to protect her, both found that the vulture simply flew right over them. Lee and Tina watched as the vulture flew down the hall and terrible realization came to them. The bird was going after Basil!

Basil continued to hobble around the school. He didn't care about getting to class! If he just went to class he'd be a sitting duck! As he made his way to the top of the stairs he bumped into someone, someone big. Basil looked up and saw that it was none other than Biffy! He didn't like Biffy.

"I don't like you either!" Basil's jaw dropped. How did Biffy know that he didn't like him? Basil them heard the horrible cackles of the vulture. Biffy's eyes widened. "What was that?" Basil and Biffy then saw the vulture come into view. While Biffy marveled at its size, Basil trembled in terror.

And then it happened! The vulture flew at Basil with talons aimed for the eyes. Basil screamed in horror and grabbed the bird by the wings as it crashed into him. As he crashed into a corner, Basil fought to force the talons of the vulture away from his eyes. His crutch had fallen down the stairs and he was unable to retrieve it. He was practically defenseless and this vulture was really strong. He had no idea how long he'd be able to defend himself.

When Lee (with Basil's crutch in hand), Holger and Tina got there they had to fight their way through a crowd of students! Cam was there! Biffy was there! Brandy was there! The 15th graders, the Glamazons, the Jocks, the Skaters, everyone was there watching Basil do battle with this monster bird!

"Get away from me!" Basil yelled at the bird, its claws getting closer to his… hat? "Be gone, Murder!" As soon as Basil said the bird's name, everyone let out a gasp. That thing had a name?

"Well, this is quite the story!" muttered Tina horror stricken. "Evil bird attacks new student." Lee tightened his grip on Basil's crutch.

"Gotta make it count!" Lee ran to Basil's aid! Armed with the crutch, Lee struck Murder in the chest, sending the bird flying, quite literally, out of the school as Murder hovered in the air a bit, let out its cackle and flew through a window. Lee turned around and helped Basil up. Holger and Tina ran up to Lee and Basil as basil positioned himself on his crutch to keep himself from falling over.

"Is Balder okay?" Basil looked at Holger with a surprised look on his face. A grin then appeared on his's face and he laughed.

"I've been better, Heimdall, I've been better!" Basil was breathing heavily. He was also doing a lot of thinking. First his mom visits, then his archenemy: Murder the Turkey Vulture shows up. There was something going on here. Lee had his troubles, now Basil had his. Could they have been connected? Basil seriously doubted that. Basil clutched at his flat cap. Why did Murder want it? Basil's thoughts were interrupted as the students, who had been watching his confrontation with Murder, crowded around him.

"Dude, are you okay?" Cam helped Basil position himself on the crutch. Basil looked at Cam with a less than thankful glance.

"Twenty-six percent!" Basil let out a long sigh. He was seriously out of breath! Basil was being flogged by questions. So much so that it wasn't until the bell rang that he was able to get away from the crowd.

As Basil walked to class with Tina, he felt slowed down. More than he should with the bad leg. The fight with Murder had left him exhausted.

"Basil?" Basil turned his head to look at Tina. "I know with Chaz being chairman of the news crew that there is hardly any chance but I've got to ask." Tina breathed and then asked her question. "Would you mind being interviewed about what happened?"

"As long as it's you and not Chaz doing the interview, I'm in." Basil's comment made Tina smile. He did like some people. She was one of them. A loud footstep was then heard and a metal hand was on Basil's shoulder. Basil let out a sigh. "I'll see you in class, Tina." Tina walked away leaving Basil with the towering giant that was Principal General Wendill Barrage.

"Do you have any idea what you just did?" Barrage tightened his grip on Basil's shoulder. "Your little scuffle that everyone is talking about has caused there to be a gremlin in my carefully laid out plan."

"No offense, sir, but there has been students late before." Basil looked at Barrage's hand. His shoulder was really starting to hurt.

"Not an amount like this one!" Barrage let go of Basil's shoulder. "Don't let it happen again." As Barrage left, Basil was left to wonder. How exactly did Barrage end up getting the job of principal when the old principal vanished. Shouldn't Vice Principal Victoria have taken over?


	14. Chapter 14

**Welcome back, gang. With the previous chapter, I introduced Murder: Basil's archenemy. A lot of students saw the confrontation between the two and with this chapter we see the result of that confrontation. Also, I've got a question for you? What happens when Murder can't find Basil? Don't know? Well, just an idea of what's to come!**

**Popular? How unfortunate**

Basil hobbled into the cafeteria. As he did, everyone looked at him. He looked around at them.

Why did Basil have to be himself? His family was rich. He often got people's attention whether he wanted to or not. Sometimes got some unwanted friends, always got unwanted enemies. Had an unlucky fear of birds. It sucked to be him.

Then Steve, the head jock walked up to him. Basil looked up at the taller teenager. His grey eyes looked at Steve with critical eyes, with no more respect than Barrage had for Basil.

"Hey, what was with that bird?" Steve's question was an honest one. Not a rhetorical question like Basil usually got from jocks. It was an interesting change.

"It was bird, nothing more nothing less." Basil hobbled towards a table and sat down. "I have horrible luck when it comes to birds." Basil sighed as the cheerleaders surrounded him. He hated being popular he really wished that everyone had not seen him get attacked by Murder. At his old school it was easy not to pay attention to anyone getting attacked by Murder, he was the principal's pet. Here at A. Nigma, no one would have noticed if he had been attacked by the Tatzelwurm! "Besides, I practically lost that fight!" Basil looked at the cheerleaders surrounding him. He let out a sigh and shrugged. "Ice tea!" Immediately, the cheerleaders walked away fighting each other to the vending machine. Steve gave Basil a pat on the back, a painful pat on the back.

"Yeah, but look at your leg!" He then sat down next to Basil. "If you had been standing you probably would have beaten that freak and used his feathers to stuff a pillow!" One of the cheer leaders returned with and placed an ice tea on the table. Basil merely gave a 'thumbs up' causing an awkward look from Steve. "You know they're throwing themselves, right?" Basil shrugged. "Don't you care that you're popular?"

"Steve, there is nothing I want less than to be popular which makes me wonder why I joined the film club at my old school." Basil took a sip of his ice tea and looked back at the cheerleaders. He then looked at Steve. "None of them, arrived recently did they?"

"Uh… no." Steve 's eyes widened as Basil chuckled.

"Thank goodness!" Basil took another sip of ice tea. He had been worried one of them was his ex-girlfriend… what was her name? Katharine? Bette? Audrey? Actually what did she look like?

"So, film club…" Steve was trying to think of something to say. It was better to talk to Basil than to Kimmie. "What was that like?"

"Oh, nothing special, watch a movie, make a movie like the movie we watched." Basil took another sip of his ice tea. "Like I said nothing special."

"So you ever make a sports movie?" The moment Basil mentioned making movies Steve was interested. He loved movies about football!"

"Yeah, a boxing movie." Steve frowned and walked away. Basil just continued sipping his ice tea like a vampire with blood. "Nice talking to ya, Steve!" Basil stopped sipping the moment he heard fast footsteps, Chaz's footsteps. "What do you want, Chaz?"

"Oh, I just want to interview A. Nigma's unluckiest student!" The mocking tone in Chaz's voice made Basil's skin crawl. "Getting attacked by an overgrown pigeon! I was laughing my head off, Frankenstein!" Basil turned his head to look at Chaz. With anger in his eyes, Basil stood up without his crutch, balancing completely on one leg.

"You want a repeat of last time, Moneranian?" Basil placed his hands around Chaz's neck. "I'd be happy to make you ridiculed in front of the entire school!" Chaz laughed, the mocking tone still there.

"You can't hurt me!" Chaz starred confidently into Basil's angry eyes. He seemed too confident. "I'm Chaz Moneranian, I'm the school news!"

"I've hurt you before, I'll do so again if it gets a Narcissist like you away from me!" Basil was about to raise a fist when he out of the corner of his eye, he saw Vice Principal Victoria enter the cafeteria.

"Basil P. you take your hand off of that nice boys neck right now!" Basil removed his hand from Chaz's neck, glaring at the smirk on Chaz's face. "And your mother told me such nice things about you." Basil's eyes widened at that comment. How did Victoria know his mom? "Do we need a trip to detention?"

"No, Vice Principal Victoria." Basil sounded similar to Biffy. Victoria was even treating him the same way.

"You weren't taunting this poor injured boy were you, Chaz?" Chaz looked at Victoria with that smirk still on his face. He shook his head and Victoria walked away. The moment she was out of earshot, Chaz turned back to look at Basil but was surprised by a fist hitting him in the face, knocking him into a garbage pail. As Chaz clutched at his face, he heard Basil hobble away.

"You know why you can't beat me, Chaz?" There was mocking tone in Basil's voice. He was one who knew how to fight back. "I'm not all talk!" Basil continued to hobble away, laughing victoriously as he did. Chaz just didn't know when to quit.


	15. Chapter 15

**Welcome back, gang. Now to answer a question, this does follow the episode plotline. This chapter adds one more mystery to Basil. Hope you're interested. Oh, and now introducing: Roman Arkham and Basil's ex-girlfriend. Enjoy.**

**Nice Face**

As Tina walked to the newsroom she started to think about the night she visited Basil at his house. When Basil had tripped into the pond, there was something different about his face. She couldn't really tell from how dark it was out but Basil's face seemed like it was melting. Even when she saw Basil come into his house, he walked by so quickly that she didn't even get a chance to see his face. He had pushed both her and Lee aside so violently that they both ended up facing the wall.

Last night she had a disturbing nightmare of Basil's face melting completely off! In the dream Lee had been with her but by the time that Basil's face was gone Lee had vanished. It was horrible. She didn't know what it meant.

Tina was brought out of her thoughts when she saw two strangers walking up to her. One of them was a boy, who had the same relaxed look as Basil, if only less evident. He had blonde hair, grey eyes, lacking a hat but looked like he and Basil could have been from the same clique if Basil had belonged to a clique.

The other was a brown haired girl with green eyes. She looked strong and independent with a mind of her own, wore trousers and had angular features.

"Hey, you wouldn't happen to know where the newsroom is do you?" The guy looked trustworthy. He also seemed to be loss.

"Why do you ask?" Tina had a hunch that they were friends of Basil. She just wasn't sure.

"A friend of ours is going to be interviewed, Basil Hagen." The girl confirmed Tina's hunch.

"Sure, just this way." Tina led the two to the newsroom. As she did she felt awkward leading some strangers around the school.

"Uh, my name is Roman… Roman Arhkam." The guy spoke with a nervous tone, not like he was in a trance but just nervous for nervous' sake. "And this is my girlfriend, Audrey Connery."

"I use to be Basil's but we broke up but from what Roman's told me, Basil has forgotten both my name and appearance." Audrey spoke in a way that sounded like she was half-sad. Tina would have completely sad if Lee had forgotten both her name and appearance.

"I'm Tina Kwee." Tina introduced herself shyly and as they reached the newsroom they saw Basil! Basil's eyes opened in shock at the sight of Roman and Audrey. Roman and Audrey's jaws both dropped.

"You're looking pretty good for someone who had a face covered in bandages last time we saw each other." Roman's words cut in Basil like a knife. The comment made Tina realize that there was something wrong with Basil. He just didn't seem like he was in a trance sometimes. There was something wrong with him, physically.


	16. Chapter 16

**Welcome back, gang. Now last chapter I left you on a cliffhanger. Roman and Audrey have suddenly shown up at A. Nigma and both them and Basil are shocked at the other's appearance. Basil, because he had not been expecting them, and Roman and Audrey because of… well, just read for yourself!**

**Interrogation**

Basil's shocked expression made Tina feel uneasy. She had never seen such expression on his face before. Usually, Basil would have barely any or no expression at all on his face. Here he was shocked at the sight of his best friend and ex-girlfriend.

As Basil stood there, on a crutch, he started to feel lightheaded and lose balance. Maybe he should have had lunch. Murder's appearance had startled him so much that it made him skip lunch.

"Now I remember." Basil's statement was directed at Audrey and she knew it. Before Basil completely fell over, Roman studied the face of his best friend. It was impossible!

When Basil fell over, Tina let out a frightened shriek while Audrey merely closed her eyes. The very impact caused Roman to think. This was his friend but it also wasn't. "You alright?" Roman's question was rhetorical. He wasn't worried about or interested in Basil's injuries, after all Basil had a tendency to fake injuries when he felt like it.

"Never better!" Basil blinked as he realized that Roman had no intentions of helping him up. He then looked at Tina and Audrey. "How 'bout you, girls?" Basil swallowed, worried that they wouldn't help him up. "Either of you going to give me a hand?" Tina walked towards Basil but was stopped by Audrey.

"No, no. I want to see him pay for a wet mop comment he made about me!" Audrey glared down at Basil. Basil glared back with an unhappy look on his face.

"How'd you two get here so fast?" As Basil struggled to get up with his crutch in hand, a look of realization came across his face. "You two skipped the afternoon! Frankly, I don't blame you. With Legendre as principal you'd be wise to come out here, or perhaps not so wise." Roman groaned. He hated it when Basil gave double-sided comments. "The principal here is worse than Legendre. He's vicious, lethal and competent!"

"You know Basil you're face looks better than the last time I saw you." Roman's comment was something that no one had seen coming. He was taunting Basil. He needed answers. "Didn't the doctor say your right eyebrow would never grow back?" The bringing up of a doctor caught Tina's attention. Had her nightmare not been just that?

"Obviously he was wrong about that." Basil continued to try and stand up, with far more difficulty than keeping himself from falling over.

"Obviously." Roman's tone was a sarcastic one. Basil clearly did not notice, still trying to stand up. "Your face looks quite good for someone who spent three weeks in a burn clinic." Burn clinic. The words were etched into Tina's mind and she wondered what could have happened to Basil that he'd have to go to a burn clinic. "It was a miracle that only your face was burned."

"Yes, and my face healed so marvelously that it looks exactly the way it did before the accident." Basil's gloating let something slip. An accident? What kind of an accident? That's what Tina wanted to know.

"No signs of any burn scars." Roman's observation caused Basil to stop his attempts to get up. "Plastic surgery?" Basil's eyes began to dart around.

"Uh, yeah!" Roman seemed satisfied with Basil's response and finally helped him up. Smiling, Basil walked into the newsroom followed by Tina. Audrey was about to go in until stopped by Roman. "The accident happened a few weeks before his move here." He whispered. "Plastic surgery takes years, look at him. Basil's face couldn't have been repaired in such a short time."

"What do you think then?" Audrey starred at Basil. As he stood there talking to Tina, a girl that Basil spoke highly of when they spoke during their lunch break. Basil had never spoken highly of anyone, and he had spoken highly of both Tina and the prankster Lee Ping. All of this only made Audrey wonder what was going on in Basil's mind.

"Actor, make-up artist…" Roman shook his head. "He's too good but Basil is also an expert mask-maker, you know how expressive his masks are. Besides, Basil has contradicted himself." Audrey turned her head a bit. How had Basil contradicted himself? "He said he had healed perfectly but he also replied to plastic surgery, something's not right here and I'm in no mood for a mystery. Let someone else figure it out!" Roman walked into the newsroom, sitting down to watch the interview between Basil and Tina. Audrey thought about everything Roman had said. She was in no mood for a mystery either. Tina looked smart she would probably figure it out. So what did Audrey do? She sat down next to Roman to watch the interview as well.

Tina was nervous after everything she had just found out. Basil didn't seem the wiser but if he had been a director of some of the movies the film club at his old school had made and if he had acted in some of them then Tina only wondered if Basil truly was unaware of Roman's little interrogation. Tina breathed and held out an audio recorder while Basil sat opposite of her with his eyes closed and a calm expression on his face.

"Basil, earlier today you were attacked by a vulture. Would you care to explain?" Basil didn't even open his eyes.

"Why of course. The bird is the pet of the principal of my old school, Bela Legendre. He had a tendency to be a large ham whenever he said his first name." Basil laughed a bit. "Uh, Murder was kept at the school. He had a cage in the principal office and every morning you can be sure that Legendre would release Murder so he could fly freely, terrorizing the student body."

"With you being his favorite victim?" Basil burst into laughter.

"Oh yes! You can count on it. In fact today was clearly and indication of that and only causes me to wonder who'd Murder go after if he couldn't find me?" Basil continued to laugh but Tina, Roman and Audrey didn't find it funny. That question might have been a joke but it did cause them to worry. "But all joking aside, Murder really is dangerous. He has caused bodily harm before and I wouldn't wish his wrath upon anyone. No one deserves to have Murder go after them, however I can think of a few who could be exceptions to that."

"I noticed today that Murder seemed to have been going for your eyes. Is that what you mean by bodily harm?"

"Tina…" Basil sighed and opened his eyes. Tina looked into his eyes and saw fear in them. " That was a fine example and frankly I'm happy that he's gone back home and it also makes me wonder if he'll return." Tina stopped her audio recorder there. What Basil had wondered had made her wonder also. Would Murder return? And what was wrong with Basil's face? She really hoped that it was just some cruel joke of Basil's, Roman's and Audrey's. She just couldn't imagine her nightmare being more than just a nightmare.


	17. Chapter 17

**Welcome back, gang. Carrying on from the previous chapter we get an interesting outburst from Basil, not herb related but number related.**

**Second**

As the interview ended, Basil stood up slowly while Tina walked over to Roman and Audrey.

"It's not true is it?" Tina looked back at Basil as he hobbled over towards them. "Is he really Murder's favorite target?"

"Unfortunately." Roman shook his head. He truly felt sorry for Basil.

"But it was very fun to watch Murder attack Basil after we broke up!" Audrey laughed. Her laugh made Tina uneasy. Audrey seemed like she enjoyed watching Basil be attacked by that monster vulture.

"So there is something we have in common!" Basil's voice caused everyone to look at him. "We both take pleasure from the misfortune of others." Basil then shook his head. "The only difference is that I use that misfortune for the inspirations of my arts, you use it for something to laugh at!" Basil let out a sigh. "At least I used to, now it is usually my own pain I take inspiration from." Tina smiled a bit. From what she had just learned, it would seem that Basil once had a streak of cruelty in him. He had changed before he had come to A. Nigma. "So Tina, what'd you think of the interview? Topnotch, huh?"

"It was okay, I just wish I could get an interview from Lee about the prank." Basil's eyes seemed to freeze when Tina said this. Roman hid his face in the palm of his hand while Audrey laughed with cruel glee.

"Excuse me?" Basil's face had a mixed expression on it. Mixed with hurt and anger, Basil looked at Tina with unhappy eyes. "I was your second choice?" Tina looked into Basil's eyes. They made her think of storm clouds, the anger was what made her think of storm clouds. The hurt look in them made Tina look away and Basil got his answer. "Every time." Basil hobbled over to his bag and grabbed it. "Every time I've been the second choice it just made me wonder my parents didn't prevent me from being born if they knew this would keep happening to me. And now I'm starting to wonder if this is just a bit of cruelty that the universe keeps throwing my way!"

"You know Basil, an attitude like that can't be good for your mental health." Roman's comment went unnoticed.

"I'm always the second choice!" Basil shook his head angrily and hobbled over to the door. "It's just not fair!" At that moment, Barrage entered the newsroom, violently opening the door with so much force that it ended up slamming Basil into a wall. Barrage looked around and then left, closing the door behind him revealing a dazed Basil behind it. "Correction, that was unfair!" There was a gasp from Tina as she noticed that Basil's right eyebrow was missing. Roman nodded as he noticed the missing eyebrow. Audrey just gave a groan that suggested she was hoping for something more than a missing eyebrow. "I'll see you all later, or tomorrow or whatever!" And with that Basil left the newsroom.

"I knew that eyebrow looked phony." Roman shook his head. "But I'm not really interested in this. So what if Basil wears a fake eyebrow? We've seen him wearing stranger things for the movies the film club made!" Roman and Audrey then left leaving Tina by herself.

Basil's eyebrow had fallen off. Did this mean that she had really seen Basil's face melting? Tina didn't want to think about it but like Coral Grove the revelation that Basil had been in a burn clinic just raised questions. One particular question was what kind of an accident had Basil been in?


	18. Chapter 18

**Welcome back, gang. Once again carrying over from the previous chapter we now return to Lee.**

**Missing Eyebrow**

Lee ran through the halls. Barrage had gotten a note that had been signed by a "Basil Preston Hagen." The note told Barrage that Basil would be unavailable after school so he wouldn't be able to keep a lookout around the school. What did this have to do with anything? Simple. Barrage was not staying in his office today he was actively roaming the halls.

Lee started to think of the time he had visited Basil at his house. He thought that he saw Basil's face melting after he fell into the pond. It was too dark for him to tell but Basil's face looked disturbingly like putty or clay. What did it mean?

As Lee ran through the halls he saw Basil hobbling towards him but only too late. The two collided into each other knocking both to the ground. Lee's cellphone fell out of his pocket and the prank song started to play. At the sound of the prank song, Basil turned his head to look at the phone. The look in his eyes was a hateful one. Lee looked at Basil's eyes and wondered how Basil knew the… Wait. Did Basil have only one eyebrow? Lee blinked. Basil did only have only one eyebrow. Basil's right eyebrow was missing completely!

"Why do you have that song?" Basil's eyes, filled with anger, looked down at Lee's phone. "A secondhand recording but I can still recognize it."

"As much as I'd like to know how you know the prank song if you weren't here for the prank there is one thing on my mind." Lee starred at the empty space where Basil's right eyebrow should be. "Why do you have only one eyebrow?" This question made Basil ignore the prank song. Actually, speaking of the prank song why wasn't Basil hypnotized? Lee watched as a shocked Basil felt the spot where his right eyebrow should have been. Almost immediately, Basil's face seemed to freeze as he realized that his eyebrow wasn't there. "Uh, Basil? You okay, man?"

"The impact must have knocked it off." Basil muttered this but Lee heard what Basil had said clearly.

"What?" Lee raised an eyebrow in question. This would have been hilarious but Lee wasn't trying to be funny and Basil didn't even notice. "What impact?" Lee's jaw dropped as he saw Basil get up quickly while still staying off of his bad leg. How did he do that?

"So sorry, I'm in no mood for q and a today." Basil then hobbled away leaving Lee with his phone. Lee thought about everything. Basil knew the prank song and he didn't get hypnotized by the song when he heard it. How? Actually for that matter why was his right eyebrow missing? What did he mean by an impact having knocked it off? Had he really seen Basil's face melting?

Lee's thought ere interrupted by a familiar sound. It was Barrage! If Lee didn't get back to detention he was dead!

Lee started to run for detention. He did not want to feel Barrage's wrath!

When Lee did get back to detention, Barrage walked in with a curious look on his face. "Did either of you see a single eyebrowed Hagen?" Lee and Biffy both looked at one another in question?

"Uh, last time I checked Basil Hagen does not have a unibrow." Biffy's comment made Barrage scowl in anger.

"DESMISSED!" Barrage yelled this like he always did. Why did he yell that single word at the top of his lungs? Who knows? It must have had to do with him having been in the army. The psychotic principal then left the room leaving Lee and Biffy alone.

"Barrage wasn't joking." Lee turned to look at Biffy. "I don't know why but Basil's right eyebrow was missing completely. He mentioned an impact so it must have been knocked off." Lee sighed. "Great now there are two mysteries to be figured out: who framed me and why does Basil suddenly have only one eyebrow?"


	19. Chapter 19

**Welcome back, gang. Now it's after the first season, I have a bit more freedom and I can make Basil a nice guy but also someone with tricks up his sleeves. Well, here we go.**

**Jazz**

Days passed. Lee had discovered the impossible. Tina had become the sole anchor of the news team.

And Basil? Well, he had been avoiding eyebrow questions. His leg might have healed but his eyebrow had suddenly reappeared on his face without any explanation. Basil was hiding something and his relationship with Barrage had become worse and worse.

The day after the Prank footage fiasco, Lee came to school as he usually did. Thinking of how he had ruined his chances with Tina, how Cam was Radcircles everything!

He walked into school. He saw Tina and he swallowed. Lee couldn't talk to her.

Tina looked over at Lee. That day when she was on a date with Brad Von Chilstein, she was just so confused. Now she was the only anchor on the news team… everything was going on so fast!

Then that moment was interrupted. Interrupted by whom? By the skaters being chased by Barrage! The moment the skaters were outside of the school, Barrage turned back, not retreating but because he had something to finish.

What happened next was unexpected. Playing over the intercom was jazz music. A look of horror appeared on Barrage's face as he realized where the music was coming from.

Barrage ran to his office! Following him were Lee and Tina, later Holger, Biffy, Brandy, Kimmie, Chaz and Cam joined them until they reached Barrage's office. The cleaners were already there, awaiting Barrage's orders.

The door was shut and it was obvious that the jazz music was coming from there. Barrage placed a hand on the doorknob and found to his surprise that it was locked.

"Private Hagen!" Barrage yelled at the door. It was obvious Basil was in there. Barrage had been berating Basil on his failure the previous day. "You unlock this door right now!" Basil didn't respond. Instead the volume of the music went up. Barrage turned to the cleaners and gave the order. Just like the previous day, the door was knocked down.

Sitting in the principal's chair was Basil. All of the students present looked in awe at the sight. Basil was sitting there with a small cd player on Barrage's desk with the jazz music playing into the intercom. There sat Basil smiling as he pointed to where the door was and Barrage noticed that the chair that would be in front of his desk was missing. Barrage had two things to replace.

Barrage walked over to his desk and then crushed the cd player.

"I was told you were a crooner. " Basil stood up and started to walk to the other side of the desk as Barrage started to walk towards him. "Your no crooner. Crooners are singers, singers are fun to be around, you're a general, a glorified-"

"Have threats of expulsion not been enough for you?" Barrage continued to walk towards Basil until the two started circling around the desk. "Perhaps I should make more threatening ones."

"Like what 'dead or alive?'" Bail laughed. "After watching my dad die you can't scare me with threats like that."

"Then maybe I should call my dear friend, Bela Legendre." Barrage's comment made Basil trip over the principal's chair. "Have him stick a pin into a voodoo doll of you." Basil backed away, still on the ground.

"No!" Basil started to sweat. Lee and Tina looked at Basil's face. It started to look soft. "Not that!" Basil finally backed up right into Tina. Basil looked up at Tina and she saw that his face was slowly melting.

"Then we've reached an understanding?" Barrage finally walked up to Basil, towering over him. Basil slowly nodded. "Good. And as for your punishment for this disgracing of my office you, Private Hagen, will be getting two weeks of solitary detention at 3: 15 p.m. starting on Monday, am I clear, soldier?"

"Transparently, sir!" Basil stood up. He didn't even look at Barrage. He just looked at the floor. He then turned around and walked away in defeat. Basil would still have to be Barrage's eyes and ears among the student body. The threat of a voodoo doll had been left in his memory from experience he didn't want to feel it again. Basil wasn't sure which was worse: being attacked by Murder or feeling the pain of a voodoo doll.


	20. Chapter 20

**Welcome back, gang. So yeah, I gave Lee and Biffy a new playmate. Besides I've been meaning to get RadCircles in this sometime so I thought I would put him in now.**

**RadCircles**

During lunch Basil walked around the halls. He had not stomach for food after given news of his punishment. He had always been able to get out of detention by faking injury or illness but he doubted Barrage would be fooled. Then his phone started ringing. He looked at the number. It wasn't Roman. He answered it.

"Hello?"

"Knock, knock."

"Who's there?" Basil had been a bit of a joker, even if his jokes were lame. Who could this have been?

"Rad."

"Rad who?"

"RadCircles." Basil thought for a moment.

"I don't get the joke."

"It's my name!"

"Codename?"

"Yes, Mr. I Think I'm A Rad DJ Just Because I Played Jazz Music Over The Intercom." Basil's eyes widened as they usually did.

"Principal General Barrage?" Only Barrage would call Basil such a long name. It was outrageous!

"No, Mr. God Complex." Basil started to walk quickly with an angry look in his eye.

"I don't know how you could have known that but I swear if you're Chaz I'm going to beat you to a pulp!" As Basil turned into a corner he saw Chaz looking at him. He wasn't on the phone he had just been walking around. This was awkward.

"Hey, man." Chaz's casual greeting made this awkward moment even more awkward.

"Hey." Basil and Chaz walked by one another. Basil then turned back to his unknown caller. "You didn't hear that did you?"

"Of course I did." Basil winced. He really wished that RadCircles had not heard that. "I'm insulted that you thought I was Chaz. Second time that's happened."

"Really?" Basil thought about this bit of information. "Who was the first?"

"You know the prankster well." Lee? So RadCircles was Lee's Moriarty that Basil had theorized about.

"Why frame Lee?" Basil needed answers. He wouldn't help Lee. He just wanted to know.

"There's a reason." The connection was then cut off. Basil knew that RadCircles was taunting him. He had something to blackmail Basil with. If the student body were to know that he once had a god complex, Basil would probably be shunned. Who was RadCircles? Holger? Camillio? Mrs. Ping? Vice Principal Victoria? Who was he or she?


	21. Chapter 21

**Welcome back, gang. Instead of introducing Basil to the Coral Grove mystery like I did to the RadCircles mystery, I've decided to just skip to Monday so we can see him in detention.**

**Run!**

When Monday came Basil was dreading detention. He had not been able to fool Barrage at all. There was no escaping detention for him. So he walked with Lee to detention after school.

"How am I going to get out of this?" Basil comment caused a questioning look from Lee. "Two weeks of detention, can't fake an illness unless its life threatening, can't fake an injury unless it's the kind that would require me to be in the hospital, I'm going to be in detention!" There was a look of panic on Basil's face.

"Are you okay?" Lee had never seen Basil panic before. Actually, this was one of the few times that Basil didn't seem stoic.

"Of course… I'm going to be beaten to a pulp by Biffy!" Lee wasn't sure but due to sweat it looked like Basil's face was starting to melt. "The only person I've ever hit is Chaz! It's Chaz! Anyone can hit him and not worry about being hit back! But Biffy is Biffy! He'll pulverize me!"

"He didn't threaten you when we showed up at your house, relax." Basil looked at Lee, his right eyebrow a few inches shorter than it should be.

"Yeah but he can still pummel me into the ground!" The two reached the detention room and Basil stepped behind Lee. "After you!" Lee sighed and he walked in. Basil had a hand on Lee's back so really he was being pushed in while Basil used him as a human shield.

When they were in the room, Biffy waved at Basil. "Hey, Jazzman!" Basil looked out from behind Lee, a look of fear on his face. "Did you have any other music planned for our listening enjoyment?" Basil walked towards Biffy and saw a cat sitting on his desk.

"Unfortunately, my show was taken off the air before I could take requests." Lee and Biffy both laughed. They had been wrong Basil did have a sense of humor. Basil patted Mrs. Rumplekittykat who showed a more welcoming response than she did with Lynch by purring in response. "Use to have a cat, a dog too!" Biffy looked at the calm cat on his desk.

"What happened to them?" Basil let out a sad sigh.

"Murder got to them." Biffy didn't say anything. That was a real conversation killer! Then who should barge in but Barrage! Everyone present, except for the ever-sleeping teacher looked at him.

"What do you think you are doing here, Mr.-"

"I Think I'm A Rad DJ Just Because I Played Jazz Music Over The Intercom? You said I have detention, two weeks of it." Barrage starred in disbelief. How did Basil know what he was going to be called?

"Correction, you boy have two weeks of solitary detention which means you won't be socializing with Tweedledee and Tweedledummer!" Barrage grabbed Basil just as he did with Lee and Lynch and carried him away, closing the door behind him.

"Solitary detention!" Lee wondered aloud. "What does that even mean?"

"It means Barrage is pretty mad." Neither could imagine what solitary detention could be like and they didn't want to. They then heard something. It sounded worse than a garbage truck going by in the middle in the night when trying to sleep. A horrified look appeared on both their faces. They looked at each other and said the same thing in unison.

"Oh no!"

Murder crashed through the window! That evil vulture looked around, expecting to find Basil but there was no sign of him. Then he spied Lee Ping, the one who had helped Basil against him.

"Uh dude, I think we've found out the answer to Basil's question on the school news!" Lee gulped and ran out of the detention room.

Murder pursued. If the vulture couldn't attack Basil, it would attack any student it could find!

As Lee ran, he ended up running into Tina, knocking both of them to the ground.

"Lee?" Tina looked at Lee with the same questioning look that he had given Basil earlier. "Why aren't you- Wait, is that?"

"Murder? Yeah." Lee and Tina both stood up as Murder flew towards them. They both ran away from the monster bird causing Tina to wonder one thing.

"Wait a minute! Where's Basil?" She looked back at the angry bird that was pursuing them. She was starting to understand why Basil considered this thing to be his archenemy it was super persistent!

"I don't know! Barrage took him away for 'solitary detention!'" Lee too looked back at Murder. If this thing killed Basil's cat and dog then what would it do when it caught them?

"What? What does that even mean?" Tina started to look around. She was hoping they could take cover somewhere until Murder got bored and flew away.

"Tina, I don't think this is a good time to discuss Barrage's punishments." Lee and Tina ducked into a windowless classroom and closed the door, which coincidentally didn't have a window on it either. As Murder clawed at the door, Lee and Tina forced a desk against it just in case Murder were to force the door open. With the desk there, there was no way Murder would be getting in. Now all they had to do was wait.


	22. Chapter 22

**Welcome back, gang. We now return to the story at hand. Hope you enjoy and we get to the conclusion of the mystery surrounding Basil's face but not the story.**

**Determination**

Lee and Tina sat down in chairs. The sound of Murder scratching at the door continued.

"I'm starting to see why Basil views Murder as he archenemy." Lee wasn't making a joke. Having Murder come after him was torture. "He's not a bird, he's a torpedo with a mind!"

"Why did you have to cancel?" Tina looked at Lee with eyes that were filled with both questioning and heartbreak. Lee knew what she was talking about. "You asked me out only to cancel, why?"

"I didn't want to." Lee looked down. "My mom said I could have the weekend if I passed a math test. I thought I'd pass but I lost my pen only to get one with invisible ink so…"

"So you ended up failing." Lee nodded. "I shouldn't have stormed off with out you explaining. Now after all that's ended up happening we're here."

"Just us." Lee and Tina smiled at each other. Then they noticed something. It was quiet. Murder had stopped scratching at the door. Both stood up and moved the desk that was blocking the door only to hear a sound coming from the vents. They both looked up as Murder came out of the vents. "Looks like Basil wasn't paranoid for nothing!"

They both ran as once again Murder chased them. That evil bird, feared by many and used by the Principal that was Legendre to terrorize students had followed its favorite victim to his new school and had found a whole new school to terrorize. The pet of a voodoo master, Murder was equally as dangerous as his master Legendre, an ally of Principal General Barrage. Both having methods that Basil Hagen did not approve of Legendre was the less dangerous of the two but dangerous nonetheless and now Legendre's hand had extended all the way to A. Nigma.

And so Basil sat in solitary detention, unable to help his friends. Little more but a broom closet in the way of size, it had been made quickly during the weekend. Barrage had ensured that Basil would not escape. No window, no air vent, no lights nothing. Basil had been locked in the room with the heat getting to him. He felt trapped, truly tapped. An hour! That was how long he'd have to wait. Barrage had taken everything. His bag, his phone there was nothing he could do to pass the time or to know the time. Time moved so slowly for him. What if Barrage forgot about him and didn't come back to let him out? He could hear people outside of this quickly made prison, barely. He could not interact with them, truly Barrage had thought of everything to make every minute torture. There was nothing he could do to get out. He would be trapped in here for an hour for two weeks. The heat was unbearable! Basil placed a hand on his cheek and felt a gooey texture.

While Basil languished in his prison, Lee and Tina continued to run for their lives. Murder wasn't shown any sign of tiring. He was determined to get them! As they ran a thought came to both of them. Where was Basil serving his solitary detention? Surely, he could stop Murder!

Suddenly, Murder stopped chasing them. Lee and Tina stopped and watched as Murder left the building by flying through an open window.

Watching the entire chase from his office was Barrage. He looked angrily at the screen in his office. He then looked at his computer. A paled man with a rat-like face starred back at Barrage.

"It would seem that Murder remembers Ping from that confrontation with Hagen, so much that he'd chase Ping out of detention. I won't punish him for that, it couldn't be helped with Murder around." Barrage looked at the bald, rat-faced man on his computer screen. "Wouldn't you say so, Legendre?"

"Indeed, Barrage." The man, Legendre nodded. "If we try again tomorrow while Hagen is in solitary detention, how do we know Murder won't go after Ping again?"

"You have an idea, don't you?" Legendre nodded.

"I say I just send him over to you, cage and all!" Barrage grinned at this idea. "You can release him after school to get some… exercise."

"Excellent idea, now if you excuse me, Private Ping and Ms. Kwee have to see what Mrs. Hagen's recommendation has done to that disfigured freak!" Barrage left, got Lee and Tina and brought them to Basil's prison. Upon unlocking the door, Lee and Tina were shocked to see Basil's face having melted off completely, revealing a skull-like face with one eyebrow on it. Barrage grinned as Sondra Hagen's recommendation had started to break Basil's spirit as she had believed it would.


	23. Chapter 23

**Welcome back, gang. Now I must admit leaving the previous chapter on a cliffhanger must have left you wondering. Now you get the answers. Enjoy.**

**Explanations**

Lee and Tina stared at Basil. Seeing his true face was a bit unnerving. Barrage grinned as he saw Basil's spirit begin to break. He might have been trouble for Legendre, but not for him. Vice Principal Victoria then walked up. She starred in disbelief.

"Principal Barrage, I can't say I approve of this." Barrage sighed. Every time! And thus another argument between the two began. Basil took his things and started to walk away, not even looking either Lee or Tina in the eye. They both followed Basil, leaving Barrage and Victoria to argue about what a more suitable punishment would be.

Basil was nearly out of the school when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned his head to look and saw Lee's hand. "Care to explain?"

"I'd rather not but I guess you both figured it out by now." Basil didn't turn to look at them. Lee and Tina were both standing there with worried eyes. His dad, Cassius, had said that some things could cause people to stop being his friends: disfigurement was one of them. He didn't want this to be the end of his friendship with Lee and Tina. He really liked them.

"You were burned in an accident weren't you?" Tina's question caused Basil to nod. "What kind of an accident?"

"A car accident." Basil breathed. "My mom had been lucky, she didn't get injured at all. Me? Well, see for yourself!"

"But why hide it?" Lee's question caught Basil off guard. He wasn't even sure of why he hid his disfigurement.

"I don't know why I used my make-up skills to make my face the way it once was, I guess I just didn't want to be laughed at." Basil started to walk again but he stopped and turned to face both Lee and Tina. As he looked at them, both saw that the burn scars were what caused Basil's face to look like a skull. He looked so unique. "Why do you care?"

"You really have to ask that?" Lee's answer made Basil wonder. Were Lee and Tina worried about him. "Look, disfigured or not we're your friends. We won't laugh at how you look, we're not shallow why would you think we are?" Basil's face had an awkward expression on it. "You thought we were?"

"I was afraid you were." Basil swallowed. "You won't stop being my friends will you?"

"Why would you ask that?" Tina's question really got to Basil. Cassius had always told Basil that when it came to disfigurement people could stop being his friends. "You aren't any different from how you usually are." Basil thought about that and smiled. He was still Basil Hagen. He was still himself. It was only his face that had changed.

"Thanks." Basil turned and walked away. "I'll see you both tomorrow."


	24. Chapter 24

**Welcome back, gang. I'll admit that there has been a lot of drama in this story and a lot of mystery but I'm trying to have this fan fic stand out from the others. I'm different that way. And although Brandy won't be Basil's love interest who's to say she can't have a crush on him? Adds more drama to the story! Without further wait, we now return to the feature presentation.**

**Two Souls**

When Basil reached his home he found Brandy sitting on the porch. He considered turning back but it was too late. She saw him. Basil sighed and walked over.

"How'd you find my house?" Brandy looked at Basil in surprise. Not too different from the expressions that Lee and Tina had one their faces.

"Basil?" Basil nodded. "What happened to you?"

"Car accident." Brandy gasped in shock. "Ended up in a burn clinic during the summer. The doctors said it was the same as having a T.V. blow up in your face."

"Then how-"

"I picked up some make-up skills during my time in film club." Basil looked down at Brandy. He looked down at her with critical eyes. To him, she had no right to even look at him. "Now answer my question. How'd you find my house?"

"Your mailbox says 'The Hagen's' on it." Basil rolled his eyes. Once again, he had been betrayed by his mailbox! "I just want to talk." Basil walked past Brandy and unlocked the front door.

"About what?" Basil turned to look down at Brandy. He would get no sympathy from her about how he looked.

"You, your family, everything." Basil's eyes widened and the critical look in his eyes vanished. This was impossible. Sympathy from a glamazon? "Why'd you choose jazz music anyway?" Brandy stood up and walked towards Basil who was holding the door open for her.

"I guess it's because the vice principal at my old school gave me the nickname 'Jazz Hat Hagen'" Basil smiled a bit as Brandy walked into his home. Sympathy from her was interesting. "He first called me that when he threatened to throw me off the roof and make it look like an accident." Brandy turned to look at Basil with a look of shock on her face as Basil closed the door.

"Y-your joking." Basil placed his bag near the door. Brandy placed her purse on a nearby cabinet.

"I wish I was." Basil placed a hand on Brandy's shoulder and led her into the living room. Brandy blushed a bit when she felt his hand on her shoulder. Despite what she thought, Basil felt no romantic attraction towards her. She felt attracted to him because of his disfigurement. She didn't know if this was love or something else but she just felt attracted to him.

"Well, as you know my dad died back in January." Basil sat in an armchair while Brandy sat on a couch. "He had been having health problems for a long time and one night he just ended up dying from them. So sad, that was the longest night of my life and he hadn't even turned fifty yet! Everyone was at my old house: police, firemen although I don't know why, a coroner, reporters, it was a nightmare in more way than one!"

"Uh, I sent flowers to the funeral." Brandy's comment did not surprise Basil. When Cassius had died fans from all over had sent flowers to the funeral.

"Thanks." Basil turned his head to look away from Brandy. That night had been too long. "You know I've never read any of his books?"

"Why not?" Brandy was so sympathetic towards Basil, so kind, it was strange to him.

"I don't know." Basil looked at the bookshelf full of his dad's books. "I just don't know."

"You know, 'Alive Again' is my favorite of your dad's books." Basil turned to look at her. "It's about a private detective who specializes in finding missing people."

"How exciting." There was a lack of enthusiasm in Basil's voice. He hated enthusiasm. He hated it because his history teacher at his old school, Mr. McElroy, had been so enthusiastic about Egyptology that he ended up thinking he was Tutankhamun.

"He takes on a case of a mystery woman who suffers from amnesia and has nightmares about a pianist's murder." Basil looked at Brandy. He was genuinely surprised.

"My dad wrote that?" Brandy nodded. "What you just described sounds so mysterious. I can see why you like it. You're smarter than you look, Brandy. Beauty and brains." Basil looked over at the bookshelf just as Brandy started to blush from Basil's compliment. She felt something that he did not. "You truly are someone different." Basil then felt Brandy's hands on his face. She turned his head to face him and kissed him where his right eyebrow would be.


	25. Chapter 25

**Welcome back, gang. Wow, I left another chapter on a cliffhanger of sorts. What will happen next? Read and find out? Oh, and can you vote on the poll on my profile to decide which play the characters get trapped in through Legendre's voodoo? Thanks. Enjoy.**

**Greek-Italian**

Basil starred at Brandy. Her kiss felt soft and passionate. He knew how she felt about him now only he didn't feel the same way. He looked at her with a confused look in his eyes. What was he going to say?

Just then, the phone rang. Feeling relieved, Basil quickly ran to the phone leaving Brandy by herself.

"Hello?" Brandy started to think as Basil answered the phone. "Hi, Roman. What's up?" His skin felt strange when she kissed him. "Saturday? Sure." She liked it! "No! Not him!" His disfigured face, it made him look so dark and tortured. "I don't care if he's my friend, too. Being a student of Xanadu has made him completely insane… or idiotic… or both." It made him look so hot! "No, I thought I was Raven, the trickster god from North American mythology… talk about cruel irony." She didn't care that he was ugly. She loved him. "I'm not black! I'm white, I just ended up inheriting my mom's Greek-Italian complexion!" Greek-Italian? Brandy looked over at Basil. He was part Greek? Then did that mean… no it couldn't have been him. "Clarence did what?" It just couldn't have been him. "Paralyzed from the waist down! Poor guy." She loved him. It couldn't have been him! "Okay, see ya and remember… Cameron can't come!" Basil hung up the phone and walked over to Brandy. "Sorry 'bout that, best friend just called and-"

"You're part Greek?" Brandy looked at Basil. There was a saddened look in her eyes.

"Uh, yes." Basil looked at Brandy. He really hoped that she wasn't putting the pieces together.

"Then did you send that…" Basil shook his head.

"No, of course not." Basil looked at Brandy sitting on his couch. He sat down in his armchair and placed a hand on his knee. He had to think up a good lie. "I would never do something like that to someone so kind and beautiful." Brandy smiled. Basil smiled back. Beautiful was good. Beautiful always worked!

"So… does your family have any property in Greece?" Brandy was clearly feeling better. The lie that Basil told had worked.

"After my great uncle Petros crashed an airplane into Mount Olympus?" Basil shook his head. "Unlikely, although he did survive the crash." Basil laughed. Brandy had nothing to worry about. Basil did not send that e-mail.


	26. Chapter 26

**Welcome back, gang. This time it's a short chapter. With the next chapter we'll get back to A. NIgma on the next day and see the "damage" that Murder caused.**

**False Love**

Basil sat near Brandy. He was reading 'Alive Again.' It was the first time Basil had ever read one of his dad's books. Reading it to Brandy, Basil admitted that it wasn't overrated as he had originally thought.

Brandy felt her heart beat. Basil reading to her… it was just so romantic. She loved him.

Basil knew that Brandy loved him. He didn't feel the same way but he felt that if he wanted some sort of protection from the students that were angry from Murder's rampage then he better use her feelings toward him as a means of getting protection. The leader of the glamazons, Kimmie, was dating Steve, the captain of the football team, thus he could find a way through Brandy to get the jock's protection from other students.

As Basil read 'Alive Again', he noticed Brandy starring at him with longing eyes. A small smile appeared on Basil's face. It was best that she thought he felt the same way about her. He couldn't do anything but kiss her.

He shouldn't have kissed her. It was not that he was against kissing her to find a way to get the jock's protection. It was another reason. He could not feel it. He could not feel the kiss. Just not was his face disfigured but his lips had been damaged to the point that he couldn't feel a kiss on them.

He wanted to scream but he didn't. He just made his sacrifice to find a way to get the protection of the jocks. He would not end up a victim of mob mentality.


	27. Chapter 27

**Welcome back, gang. Basil and Brandy got together and now we are at A. Nigma the day after Murder's return. Well, here we go!**

**The Horror**

Basil walked into school. Almost as soon as he walked in he heard Murder. Dread spread over Basil. He turned around and saw Murder in a large birdcage. Basil's jaw dropped as he recognized the man carrying the birdcage.

A tall man in his mid-thirties with thinning red hair, he was dressed in a prison uniform. It was Vice Principal Clarence! A man worse than both Barrage and Legendre combined. He was loud and frequently used threats of violence to control the students of Xanadu. He was a man to be feared but not respected.

Basil didn't turn around. There was no way that Clarence could recognize him after his disfigurement. Unfortunately, Murder started to squawk at Basil. Clarence looked at Basil and recognized Basil's flat cap. An angry look on his face, the Vice Principal of Xanadu walked over to Basil, still carrying Murder in a birdcage.

"Well, well, well." Clarence's deep, commanding voice cut through the air and everyone in the halls looked at him. At a height of six feet and three and a half inches, he towered over most of the students and staff of A. Nigma. "Basil Hagen. 'Jazz Hat' Hagen… You've got a face to match the shape of your head now." Basil gulped. "Oh, Murder wants to say hello." Clarence held up Murder's cage. Immediately, Murder stuck his head between the bars and bit Basil on the nose. Clarence placed the cage on the floor and slammed Basil against the lockers. "Now that Murder has had his fun, time for me to have mine." Clarence held up a baton and the fear in Basil's eyes made Clarence smile. "You are going to look real funny sucking on a popsicle with no teeth." Basil closed his eyes, waiting for the prison guard baton to start hitting him. Fortunately, it never came.

"Would you mind tell me what you're doing to that disfigured boy?" Basil opened his eyes and gave a sigh of relief. Vice Principal Victoria! She would protect him from this brutal ex-prison guard. Clarence turned his head to look at Vice Principal Victoria.

"Veronica Victoria." There was resentment in Clarence's voice. Basil couldn't believe this.

"It's been a long time, Byron." Basil shook his head. How small a world did he live in? "You're still looking halfway decent." Clarence glared at Victoria.

"Half of me wants to strangle you." Out of the corner of his right eye, Basil saw Chaz and Holger. He turned his head to face them and mouthed the words 'Help me!' Victoria smiled at Clarence's comment.

"And what does the other half want?" Basil wasn't sure but this could have qualified as some very weird flirting. He looked over at Chaz and Holger who just shook their heads. Both were clearly afraid of Clarence and they did not want to attract Murder's attention.

"To hit you with a truck!" Basil shook a fist at both Chaz and Holger. He had been Chaz's cameraman when he was 'rehearsing' for 'Chaz's Corner' and he was on friendly terms with Holger. Victoria looked at Basil who had turned his head to look at both Carence and Victoria.

"We used to date." Basil truly did live in a small world. Victoria then looked at Clarence. "Now let go of my student." Clarence tightened his grip on his baton. He looked like he was about to hit Basil. Basil closed his eyes. Basil opened his eyes in surprise when he felt Clarence let go of him. Basil swallowed and walked over to Chaz and Holger.

"Why didn't you two help me?" Basil's eyes lacked anger. So did his voice. Where anger should have been there was fear.

"Holger scared of scary man." Basil shook his head. Why did Holger speak in third person?

"Uh, Basil, I'd just like to point out that your nose is bleeding." Chaz's comment made Basil touch his own nose. It was bleeding! Basil looked over at the cage Murder was in. The bird was starring at him with evil eyes. Basil really hated that bird!

"Yeah, well you owe me!" Basil was of course talking about when he had to be a cameraman for Chaz. He was happy that he didn't talk while being cameraman. He never would have heard the end of it. Barrage had seen the video, Victoria had seen the video Lee and Tina had seen the video. Too many people had seen it. He did not want anyone know about it. Basil then looked over at both Clarence and Murder. "Oh, the Horror!" He then turned to look at Chaz and Holger. "Why is Clarence here anyway?"

"Maybe he come to ask Victoria to marry him." Basil looked at Holger. The look on his face was strange. He would have raised his right eyebrow but due to him not having a right eyebrow his raised brow ridge looked weird.

"Holger, Clarence once threatened to throw me off the roof of Xanadu High School and make it look like an accident." Chaz and Holger both starred at the raised brow ridge that was lacking a right eyebrow. It just looked too weird! "Do you really think Clarence would come all the way out here just to propose to Victoria? Why do you think he brought Murder? Does Murder want to watch the proposal?" The sarcasm in Basil's voice was all too clear.

"Hey, Basil are you…" Basil turned around to look at Cam. Cam trailed off as he noticed Basil's nose. "Oh man, that's bad!"

"So aren't any of you curious about what happened to my face?" Basil looked at Chaz, Cam and Holger. They all shook their heads. "Good." While Clarence and Victoria argued, Murder squawked at the guys. Basil, Cam, Chaz and Holger all looked at Murder and swallowed in fear. "Don't look him in the eyes." They all walked away, leaving Clarence and Victoria to argue with one another. Murder watched them, with his eyes on Basil. They turned a corner and gave a sigh of relief. "Okay, Heimdall. Talk to me. What's the word among the jocks?"

"Jocks not happy." Holger frowned. "They want to beat Balder for bringing Murder here."

"Oh? Why's that?" Basil didn't want to know the answer but he'd have to.

"Murder attack jocks while practicing yesterday." Basil shook his head. He thought as much. "Murder attack Heimdall, too. Very scary."

"That's not good." Basil sighed and watched as Clarence walked by. He was carrying the caged Murder. Basil quickly looked up at the ceiling to avoid looking into Murder's eyes.

"You think?" Chaz looked at the floor. He really didn't want to look Murder in his eyes. He did not want to know what happened when he looked Murder in the eyes. "You ended up bringing your old schools version of the Tatzelwurm here!"

"Murder is not Xanadu's version of the Tatzelwurm." Basil shook his head. "That would be the Dragon." Cam looked at Basil with shocked eyes.

"What?" Cam couldn't believe what he was hearing. "What? The Dragon? Dude, what are you talking about? Should we be worrying about that thing showing up?" Basil shook his head.

"No need to worry." Basil laughed. "The Dragon is kept locked beneath Xanadu and besides only Clarence can control it." Cam, Chaz and Holger starred at him. A look of dread appeared on Basil's face. "Oh, no!" All four crept after Clarence. They followed him to Barrage's office and all four had the same look of dread on their face. A few seconds later, Clarence came out of the office. Upon seeing Basil a cruel smile appeared on the ex-prison guard's face. Clarence was not carrying Murder's cage. Clarence nodded as he smiled and walked past the guys. Basil laughed. Cam, Chaz and Holger all starred at Basil. A few seconds later, Basil fainted, resulting with his face on the floor. Then Lee walked up to them. He looked at Basil. Then he looked at the door to Barrage's office. Then he looked at Cam, Chaz and Holger. Cam couldn't have been RadCircles but that wasn't what he was going to talk about. The fact that Basil had passed out and was face down on the floor was something that he had to talk about.

"Okay, what happened here?"

"The bird has made a nest." Cam looked at the door to Barrage's office. Lee did not understand.

"There is a crime at A. NIgma!" Chaz, being the large ham he usually was, looked up at the ceiling practically yelling.

"Balder's archenemy is here!" Holger looked at Basil. Passed out, face down on the floor with his nose bleeding, he regained consciousness and looked at Lee.

"Murder is living here!" Lee's jaw dropped. Had he walked into one of Basil's nightmares? They must have been mistaken!


	28. Chapter 28

**Welcome back, gang. No, this is not an AU story. In fact at this point of the story it is the Tuesday after Chaz's Corner. So not much time has passed.**

**Deal with the Brad**

Basil walked to cooking class. Cooking class. Some guy from Xanadu had failed cooking class. How was that even possible? How does someone fail cooking? You make food! It's that simple!

As Basil neared is class and he felt someone grab him by the collar of his shirt. Basil looked at the person who had grabbed him. It wasn't Barrage. It was Brad Von Chilstein. Basil gave a small grin and waved.

"Hey, Brad!" Basil laughed nervously. "It's been a long time… six years."

"You know Basil, we've known each other for a long time. We're practically family!" Basil was trying to keep from shaking. "But after I jokingly push you into a lake you take it personally and get this vendetta against me."

"We were five, I couldn't swim I could have drowned." Brad starred into Basil's eyes. Basil was clearly intimidated. "Besides, no vendetta anymore! I figure since you nearly drowned that karma did the work so we're even."

"Good. Now answer me this. Why didn't you help us find that prank footage Chaz had? Or better yet Chaz himself?" Basil swallowed. Brad starred at him. He starred at him with critical eyes.

"I wasn't there the day of the prank." Basil looked down at his shoes. "So I figured that I shouldn't get involved."

"It was your fear of mob mentality wasn't it?" Basil nodded. "Well, then I guess you know that since Murder's attack yesterday you are at risk of being a victim of mob mentality." Basil nodded again. "Let me tell you this, Basil. You aren't popular you're pitied. Pitied because of that time Murder attacked you. That made you known to the whole school!"

"Really?" Basil stopped looking at his shoes. He looked Brad in the eye with curiosity. "No remembers me from when I knocked down Chaz or when I was selling candles?"

"No, not really." Basil scratched his head, dumbfounded. "But the fact is that Murder attacked the jocks, the emos, the mathletes, Ed the former water boy, and most ironically the birdwatchers. You can't get protection from any of them. Actually, half of the student body is against you because of yesterday." Basil gulped and got down on his knees. "You'd be better of going to the 15th Graders for protection."

"I'm at your mercy!" People stopped in the halls to look. "I beg you! Use your influence to protect me!" Brad looked down at Basil with eyes that were less than happy.

"Get up, Basil, people are stopping to watch." Basil stood up and looked around. There were people watching! Basil's face communicated how he was. He was angry at being starred at. He clenched his fists and looked at the people around him.

"What are you looking at?" Basil yelled at the students starring at him. They all jumped in fright. "Get to class!" Immediately, the students went on their way. Basil then turned to Brad. "Well? How about it?"

"You're making a deal with me?" Brad laughed. Basil starred at Brad. All he was missing was red skin and a pitchfork. "Okay, but the deal goes two ways. I use my influence to protect you and you help me get revenge."

"But to seek revenge may lead to hell!" Brad shook his head. He was not amused by Basil's objection.

"Look, Basil you've made the deal and you never go back on a deal. Understand?" Basil nodded. "Good." Brad and Basil started to walk toward their cooking class. "You know, Basil, we're a lot a like you and I." Basil rolled his eyes and groaned. "That was a compliment, Basil."

"Thank you, Brad." There was uncertainty in Basil's voice. He wasn't even sure about how he was like Brad! "So whom are you getting your revenge on?"

"Him…" Brad pointed at Lee as he entered the cooking class. "And her." Brad pointed at Tina, entering the same class.

"But they're my friends!" Brad frowned at Basil's objection. Basil shook his head. He couldn't hurt his friends… he just couldn't.

"Basil, I'm sure you heard about that little hair incident."

"Well, bleach isn't that bad. I had a friend at my old school who bleached his hair blonde because of how fast it was." Brad hit Basil on the back of the head. Basil flinched in pain.

"Shut up." Basil looked down at the floor. He never imagined that Brad could be like this but if Thursday meant anything, it just showed that Brad could be… different. "Look this is about getting back at them for that public humiliation. I was lucky to get the bleach out the moment I got home. If I didn't we'd both be gawked at!" Basil placed a hand on his face. Were people laughing at him because of his disfigurement? "Look, since accidents happen in cooking class we'll just have something happen."

"I am not going to chop their fingers off with a cleaver!" Brad shook his head. Basil was objecting before he even heard the plan.

"No, you idiot! Not that!" There was a guilty look on Basil's face. Brad didn't understand. Why should Basil feel guilty? "Something that can't be connected to either of us. A cookie dough explosion." Basil, do you understand?" Basil didn't say anything. "Nod if you understand." Basil nodded. "Good. Now, let's get to class"

Once everyone was in cooking class, Basil kept looking at both Lee and Tina. The guilty look on his face was still there. Cam, Holger and Biffy were there. They say the guilty look. They knew something was up. Since when did Basil associate with one of the popular kids… that weren't Lee or Cam? Lee and Tina hadn't noticed. Basil's guilty look and the fact that he kept looking at both Lee and Tina told Cam, Holger and Biffy that something was wrong with their flat cap wearing friend.

A few minutes later, Basil was putting a large mess of cookie dough in an oven. Cam, Biffy and Holger both starred. What the heck was he doing?

"Hey Brad!" Lee and Tina both turned to look at Basil. Did he just call Brad Von Chilstein? Brad walked over to Basil. They were both standing in front of the oven that Basil had put the mess of cookie dough into. "I got my hand glued to the stove." Brad looked at both of Basil's hands. He had his arms crossed.

"You do not, you moron!" Basil laughed. Brad raised an eyebrow and starred at Basil. He was insane! Basil started to walk backwards, keeping his eyes on Brad. He was walking backwards towards the open door.

"Don't ever mess with my friends." Brad starred at the smirk on Basil's face. What was he going on about? "Lee, Tina, a word?" Lee and Tina both starred at each other. What did Basil want to talk about? They both followed him. Basil was standing away from the door, by the lockers.

"Yes, Basil?" Tina could not understand what was going on. Neither could Lee.

"Three, two, one… cookie dough explosion." Lee raised an eyebrow.

"What?" Sure enough an explosion happened. A cookie dough explosion! Lee and Tina looked at Basil with a horrified look. "Basil, what did you just do?" Basil laughed, uncontrollably. The laughter stopped when Brad came out of the classroom, somehow the only person covered in cookie dough.

"You're suicidal, aren't you?" Basil shook his head. "You made a deal with me for me to use my influence to protect you from the wrath of the students that were attacked by Murder and you turn the revenge plan on me? Are you insane?" Basil shook his head. "Then what is going on in your empty head?" Basil walked behind Lee and Tina and pushed them toward Brad. He was clearly intimidated. "Do you still want my protection?" Basil nodded. "Then you obey me, got that, moron?" Basil nodded. "Okay, now help me get this stuff off me, Igor!" At that moment Basil passed out from sheer intimidation. He fell backwards and ended up landing on the Red Tatzelwurm's tail. The Tatzelwurm just continued walking or slithering down the halls, ignoring the pain in its tail. It was at this point that Cam came out of the classroom. Lee and Tina were trying to wake up Basil while Brad was nudging the unconscious form with his foot.

"I get the nurse!"


	29. Chapter 29

**Welcome back, gang. Now Basil getting protection from Brad only to be roped into a revenge scheme might have been unexpected, especially on Brad's part but any of the popular kids can be sinister when pushed. Just take a look at Chaz's Corner.**

**Ice on Head**

When Basil came to, he was still on the floor. Looking down at him were Lee and Tina, and worst of all Brad! Basil looked at Brad still covered in cookie dough. He raised his head off the ground a bit but quickly lowered it.

"Are you okay?" Tina looked at Basil. She had no idea what he had gotten himself roped into. Brad had mentioned the revenge plan but never said against who but she suspected that after what happened on Wednesday he intended to get back at both her and Lee for what happened.

"I've just got a killer headache." Basil's eyes kept opening and closing. It seemed like he might slip back into unconsciousness.

"Well, the Tatzaelwurm's tail isn't that much of a pillow." There was sarcasm in Lee's voice but there was plenty of truth in what he said. His head hurt and if he had landed on the Tatzelwurm's tail then Basil had two animals to be afraid of. There was no doubt Lee suspected the same thing Tina did. They probably thought the same thing, too. They probably thought that Basil traded too easily. That wasn't true. He was just easily intimidated. Finally, Basil fell back into unconsciousness. It was short however. Brad had nudged Basil in the head where he was in pain. Basil's eyes opened immediately and there was a look of pain on his face.

"Not today, Brad." Basil starred at Brad with eyes that were neither angry nor sad but annoyed. "Try to drown me some other time. I promise I won't get out of the water." Lee and Tina both looked at Brad with shocked expressions. Brad had no guilt about what had happened so long ago, besides as Basil had pointed out earlier karma had gotten back at Brad. Basil wasn't angry at Brad anymore, he had nothing to worry about but Basil screwing up the revenge plan like he just now… or did he?

"He hit his head, he's talking crazy talk!" Lee and Tina didn't buy it. Basil had never lied to them. Why should he start now?

"And him saying 'don't ever mess with my friends' meant nothing?" Lee shook his head. "Brad, I know you're a nice guy but it seems like to me that Basil is trying to tell us something about you."

"I sent flowers to his dads funeral." Brad's objection didn't make a difference. When Cassius Hagen's death had been announced fans from all over had ended up sending flowers to the funeral. Lee and Tina had been two such fans. Brad's statement didn't make a difference. There was still something between Brad and Basil that seemed unfriendly.

At that moment, Cam arrived with the nurse. After some regular routine, the nurse gave Basil a bag on ice to put on his head. Basil placed the ice on his head but he couldn't resist making a joke. "I sure hope I don't get brain freeze." There was a groan from all present. Basil slowly began to stand up but as soon as he did he started to touch his face with his free hand. "My face!"

"Bro, you landed on your back. There is no damaged to your already damaged face." Cam's comment caused an expressionless response from Basil.

"Gee, thanks." Basil was feeling lightheaded. He kept looking like he could fall over at any moment. Basil then looked around. "Wait, where's Holger?"

""You'll be surprised to hear that I wasn't the only one to get covered in cookie dough." Brad's comment caused a frightened look to appear on Basil's face. "There was only one other person to get covered in it." As if on cue, a bizarre thing emerged from the classroom. It looked as if it was made from cookie dough.

"My gosh, what have I created?" The thing raised a hand and wiped some dough off its face revealing it to be Holger. Basil shook his head and looked up. "Why do the weird things always happen to me and only me?" Lee laughed. Always? Only him? Basil had no idea what Lee had found out. Basil looked around. "What time is it?" Tina was about to speak when Basil interrupted her. "Forget it, I'll find out myself." Basil put a hand in his pocket and ended up pulling out not his phone but his wallet. Basil opened his wallet and then stopped. He looked around. Everyone was looking at him as if he had been found walking around the park in his underwear talking to pigeons. "Am I checking my wallet for the time?" Everyone nodded. "I must have hit my head pretty hard." The nurse walked back to her office. "Wait, how long was I out?"

"Five minutes." Lee's reply made Basil think.

"Really?" Lee nodded. "Felt like six." The bell rang and Basil started to walk away. "Well look at that! Time for lunch! See you all later!" Basil started to walk away but quickly felt Brad's hand on his shoulder.

"Don't think you're getting out of this that easy." Brad whispered into Basil's ear. It must have felt like having a snake hissing in someone's ear. "You might have tricked everyone else but there is no way you're getting out of this. No matter how hard you claim to have hit your head you aren't getting out of helping me in my revenge plan." Basil breathed and turned to look at Brad. "You need me for protection."

"I'd rather be a victim of mob mentality than the pawn of a villain with good publicity." Brad laughed.

"We both know that's a lie." Basil closed his eyes and placed his hands over his ears, causing the bag of ice to fall on Brad's foot. "Look at me." Basil shook his head. "Look at me!" Basil opened his eyes and looked at Basil. "The thing you fear the most, more than birds, more than drowning, more than falling is mob mentality. I'm the only one with the influence to protect you from that." They both heard footsteps and saw Mrs. Ping walking in their direction. She stopped in front of them and looked at Basil.

"Hello, Basil." Basil didn't have anything to worry about. He didn't even have math! "Please tell your mother I said hello." She then continued walking down the hall. Basil and Brad's eyes both followed her and then looked at each other. Brad pointed with his thumb in the direction Mrs. Ping had gone. Basil shrugged in response with a dumbfounded look on his face. He then knelt down to grab the bag of ice. As he did, Brad kneed him in the head.

"That's just an example of what would happen to you without my response. Understand?" Basil nodded. "Did anyone see me do that?" Basil shook his head. "Good." Basil reached for the bag of ice causing Brad to get one more point across. He stepped on Basil's hand. He looked down at Basil with only Basil knowing his true intentions. "Sorry, man. Didn't see you there." Basil glared at Brad who walked away smiling. Basil placed the bag of ice on his head and stood. He almost immediately bumped into Biffy.

"I heard the whole thing." Basil looked around. He and Brad would have noticed someone this big hovering over them. "You trade to easily you weasel!" Basil started to walk backwards as Biffy started to follow him.

"Biff, it's not how it looks!" Biffy did not believe Basil. He had a menacing look on his face as he looked down on Basil.

"Not how it looks?" Basil gulped in fear. "It's exactly how it looks! You sold out your friends so you can stay safe from angry mobs!"

"It's nothing personal." Basil was so scared that his voice had sounded like a squeak.

"Nothing personal?" Biffy grabbed Basil and lifted him off the ground. "Listen and listen good! It won't be anything personal if I grind you into dust and grind that into smaller dust and then eat it!" Basil didn't know what he was going to do. Luckily, just like always, Vice Principal Victoria showed up. Basil gave a sigh of relief as Biffy put him down.

"I simply don't understand how many trips to detention it will take to teach you a lesson." Basil walked away leaving Biffy to get berated by Victoria. As he walked away he began to think. Brad was nice to other people, to Basil not so much. He seemed to think that Lee and Tina were responsible for his hair getting bleached. In a way they were but they had just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. That's how he saw it. Brandy was to blame. The girl that he tricked into being his girlfriend so he could get the jocks protection only it turned out that the jocks could end up coming after him. Wait, did Brad actually like Tina or did he just ask her out because he was in league with Brandy? So was Brad just being used as a pawn because Brandy wanted to keep Lee as her public fake boyfriend so Tina could become Brad's girlfriend and thus keeping Lee and Tina apart? Basil sighed and muttered to himself.

"I don't know. Who cares."


	30. Chapter 30

**Welcome back, gang. In chapter 34 there will be the climax. I need suggestions for it because it's a two part climax. The first half of it involves Murder and Basil, the second part involves Basil standing up to Brad. I just need suggestions for the first half I know what I'm doing with the second half.**

**Bird Lover and Bird Hater**

As Basil roamed the halls during lunch period, he thought about everything. He simply couldn't help Brad against Lee and Tina. They were his friends, his first friends at A. Nigma. He just couldn't.

Finally, Basil met the eyes of Robin Raven on the Bird Watchers Club. Basil didn't like her. Any bird lover must have been insane! The feeling was mutual neither liked the other and ever since Murder had shown up, the two had a very bitter war of words.

"Well, well, if it isn't the bird hater!" Basil rolled his eyes. He hated Robin's voice. It wouldn't be so hard to hate her if she didn't look so attractive to him but then again ever since his disfigurement even the single browed Greta Hoffman looked attractive to him and once told Holger he was a lucky guy. "What are you gonna eat tonight? Chicken?" Basil shook his head. That was the best she could come up with?

"Ha!" Basil really wasn't in the mood for this. He had too much on his mind about how he was going to get out of being Brad's henchman. Instantly something came to him. "Why, Robin, there seems to be something on your shoulder." Basil placed a hand on Robin's shoulder. Robin didn't turn her head. Basil didn't care he slapped her face anyway. Robin starred at Basil in disbelief.

"That was a bit early wasn't it?" Basil's face looked depressed. "Usually you don't do that until I've dug my heel into your foot." Basil sighed.

"I'm just not in the mood for this today, Robin." Basil shook his head. "I've got a lot on my mind."

"I didn't think you had one, Basil." Basil looked at Robin with a sad look in his eyes. "Too soon?" Basil nodded. "Okay, you want to talk about it?"

"With a person who is part of a clique that wants to beat me to a pulp because Murder attacked them?" Robin nodded. "Not a chance!" Basil walked right past Robin. That was the end of that little conversation. As Basil roamed the halls he thought about everything since he had come to A. Nigma. He had been avoiding Brad because he didn't want a repeat of when he nearly drowned ten years ago. True Basil wanted to do the same to Brad but at the same time he was against revenge. He just didn't see it as being safe. Now he had ended up begging Brad for protection from the other students. Brad had plenty of influence and could use that to protect Basil but he was being roped into a revenge scheme against Lee and Tina. When Basil had started at A. Nigma he intended to have no friends, Lee and Tina were just persistent and brought him out of his shell. They were kind and would make a good couple if there weren't so many complications going on. He liked both of them, they were true friends but Basil had some guilt. When he tipped off Barrage, when he pushed Tina towards Murder and said "Sacrifices must be made." He guessed he was trying to prove that he was someone they could trust. Basil just couldn't understand why these things happened to him.

As Basil passed Barrage's office, he could hear Murder squawking inside. The door might have been closed but Basil was certain that Murder could sense his presence. He could hear Barrage inside, too. It sounded like there was a strange conversation going on between bird and cyborg.

What do you want?" Murder squawked again. "What do you want?" Basil rolled his eyes. Barrage had yelled that time. Murder squawked again. "Stop it!" Murder squawked again. "Stop it!" Murder didn't squawk again. Basil just shrugged and continued walking. As he walked away, he heard Murder squawking and the whole thing start over again. Basil sighed. He had hoped Barrage had strangled Murder or something. Then Basil started to pass Vice Principal Victoria's office. How could she have once dated Clarence? He was brutal she was not brutal but kind and just. Basil then stopped walking. How the heck did Barrage and Legendre know each other? How could Clarence and Victoria have once been a couple? How his mom know Lee's mom? Was the small world he lived in now even smaller? Why didn't he know anything about what was going on around him? Was he oblivious?

His thoughts were interrupted when his phone started ringing. Basil instantly took it out of his pocket and answered it. "Hello?"

"Basil? It's Cameron!" Basil winced. Cameron Walker. The guy who could not properly carry a pizza and believed that the people working at the pizzeria screwed up. The guy who when he had cold would put his feet into a pot on chicken soup. The guy who had tried to make friends with the Dragon when Clarence had released it and nearly got eaten! In other words, Cameron was a nut! "Basil, while waiting for you to pick up I closed my eye lids and now I can't see through them!"

"Open them!"

"Oh yeah! Their manual!" Basil didn't shake his head. He didn't sigh. He just avoided looking at people directly. Cameron might have been one of his friends but it was torture talking to him. "So how are you, Basil."

"I kinda have a girlfriend." Basil briefly looked over at Brandy. She smiled at him and he smiled back.

"Women! You can't live with 'em, and yet they're everywhere!" That would have sounded sexist if it didn't come from the fact Cameron's dad had died some years ago, leaving only himself, his mom and his eight sisters. That just caused some irony because Cameron did live with women, nine of them!

"She's got a conflicted personality."

"Wow. The long boring stories you must have."

"This is the second day of us being together."

"By the second day I could hear my inner voice, too." Basil couldn't believe it! That was the forty-first time that Cameron had suddenly changed the subject. "I have no idea what it was saying, I don't speak Latin."

"Cameron… is there any particular reason you called or are you just trying to drive me insane with your babbling?"

"Well gee, I don't know." Basil rolled his eyes. "What's the difference?" Basil shook his head. How did he end up being friends with this nut? "Oh wait, I remember. I called to tell you that I want to make the world a better place. I want to give mankind the gift of electricity."

"We already have that!" Basil looked around. Everyone was starring at him. He hadn't realized that he had ended up yelling. Basil pointed at his phone. "Nutcase." Everyone nodded in understanding.

"Ah, then my work is done!" At the point Basil turned off his phone. That was enough of that! Cameron was a loud speaker and no doubt a lot of people had heard him. With the bag of ice still on his head he looked at a nearby clock. He then looked over at Brandy. He should tell her the truth. Tell her that he didn't feel the same way she did and that he intended to use her to get the protection of the jocks!

Horrible thoughts then came to his mind. Brandy would probably realize that it was him that sent that picture of her with snakes for hair and end up pouring face cream down his throat! Or worse! Green Apple Splat!

Basil walked away. He needed a breath of fresh air. As Basil stepped out of the school he got back to thinking about how he'd get out of being Brad's henchman. Despite how he seemed, Basil wasn't that tough. Brad probably wasn't either but he was the captain of the swim team so there was a chance he could be stronger than Basil. If the pain Basil was in was any indication Brad probably was stronger! But was he smarter? Could he outsmart Basil or could Basil outsmart him?

Then it hit Basil.

Brad was intending to have Basil take the fall for him. He intended to have Basil do all the work, get blamed for everything, get shunned by the entire school because Murder followed him just so he could watch Basil get beaten to a pulp by angry students.

What was he to do?


	31. Chapter 31

**Welcome back, gang. Now these chapters leading up to the climax are basically about Basil's friends turning on him. Since Lee is busy with his investigations, detention, etc. these are things he won't know until later.**

**Crazy vs. Crazy**

Basil looked up at the sky. There were black clouds. A storm was coming. Literally.

Basil turned around and saw Cam standing behind him. There was an unimpressed look on Cam's face.

"Uh, yes?" Basil wasn't sure why Cam looked unimpressed. The only student who wasn't a part of a clique that wanted to kill him was Biffy. So why'd Cam look like he was going to try and strange him?

"Dude, you know what this is about!" Basil shook his head. Cam was being vague. "You sold out Lee and Tina so Brad can get revenge just so you can get protection."

"Well, technically wasn't Brandy the one who dropped the bleach?" Cam's eyes widened.

"Dude, how do you know that?" Basil shook his head.

"It's not that hard to figure out." Basil started to tap his foot. "The puzzle isn't that difficult."

"Whatever, you still sold out your friends!" Basil sighed. Why did people keep using the term 'sold out' when Basil had been intimidated into this by Brad?

"Wait a second here!" Basil folded his arms. "You say I sold out my friends when you're no different!" Cam raised an eyebrow. It didn't look as weird when Basil did it since his right eyebrow would never grow back. "You sold out your best friend just so you could become popular." Basil pointed a finger at Cam. "Lee could have proven his innocence with that footage and you destroyed it! You're the traitor, not me!"

"Don't you turn this around and blame me, Hagen!" Cam's eyes were cold and hard. Just like Biffy, he thought Basil was guilty.

"Oh, so that's the way we're doing this." Basil scratched his right cheek. "Okay then Martinez, let me tell you this: I'm innocent! As innocent as Cinna the Poet!"

"Okay one: there is no way you're innocent." Basil frowned at Cam's comment. "And two: what the wha?" Basil couldn't believe this. Had Cam never read Julius Caesar? Basil shook his head.

"I am innocent!" Cam scoffed at this. "I've been intimidated by Brad thus forcing me to beg him for protection and thus roping me into a revenge plan where he intends to make me do all the work, get blamed for everything, get shunned by the entire school for leading Murder here just so he can watch me get beaten to a pulp by angry students."

"You're loco in the coco."

"I'm not crazy." Cam didn't look convinced. "I was once because I had a god complex and thought I was Raven the Trickster from North American mythology. Oh, the irony!"

"Dude, that's not helping your case." Basil sighed.

"I know." Basil looked at the watch Cam was wearing. Lunch was only half over! Why did it have to be an hour? "I might as well have said I've seen Bigfoot, three times. Which I have!"

"Dude, that's not helping either." Basil starred in disbelief. "Everyone knows Bigfoot doesn't exist."

"Are you kidding me?" Basil raised his voice. Cam was shocked since Basil had rarely done this since he came to A. Nigma. "You have the Tatzelwurm, this weird dragon snake monster thing as a mascot and you say Bigfoot isn't real? And to top that off from what I heard you actually believed that the flu was the fictional space zombie flu! By Butterscotch Joey and the Queen of Hearts you're the one who's crazy!" Basil had ended up talking to quickly that the moment Cam ended up hypnotized he hadn't even started acting like a monkey. He just blacked out for a second. Basil noticed this and couldn't help but not give Cam a chance to talk back. "Did someone stick a vacuum up your nose and suck out your last lonely brain cell? What is going on in your head?" Basil stopped. He had just used sentences that Clarence had used after Basil had been hit in the head with a dodgeball.

"I don't know I just blacked out." Cam shook his head. Not like how Basil did when he felt frustrated or was responding to something but like he had come out of a trance. "And don't try to turn this on me by calling me crazy, crazy!"

"I won't call you crazy. I'll call you what you are, Looney!" Cam glared. Basil grinned a sly grin. "And I'm not the guilty one here, you are!" Basil started to walk backwards but stopped when he remembered he would have ended up falling down the steps. "Good day, Cam the Looney!" Basil walked past Cam. As far as he was concerned, this conversation was over. Biffy must have told Cam. That was the only way.

As Basil walked away from Cam he started to think and wonder. What had he ever done to Brad to get this kind of treatment from him? He could not come up with an answer. Basil let out a sigh and looked over at Brad as he walked by. Some monsters hid in plain sight! Basil started to walk away when he felt an unmistakable hand on his shoulder.

"I've come up with Plan B, Basil." Basil didn't even turn his head to look at Brad. He was too ashamed. "We send your old principal's pet after Lee and Tina. It happened yesterday and no doubt it can happen again just as easily." Basil's eyes widened in horror! Murder had been here yesterday? And he went after Lee and Tina? Basil turned to face Brad. He had to stand up to Brad. He had to!

"Are you suicidal?" Brad starred with critical eyes. To him, Basil was no more alive than the shoes on his feet but still he wanted to see Basil beaten to a pulp by an angry mob of students. "We can't control Murder! He will try to rip us to shreds! He's a danger to every student in the school! Think of the other popular kids! Think of Tina, you did ask her out after all!" Brad didn't respond to Basil. "Do you even like her or were you just being kind because she saved your life?"

"That's funny, Basil." Brad wasn't laughing. Basil had a very scared look on his face. "I said we're going to send Murder after the two who humiliated me but what you must have heard is 'Please question me!'"

"But bad things happen whenever I'm near birds!" Basil swallowed in fear as Brad's critical eyes continued to stare, stare right into Basil's soul. "It's like I have bad luck!"

"You don't have bad luck, Basil." Brad's voice sounded so kind and gentle. Someone else would have felt happy to hear those words from him but Basil knew something was going to come up that was rather harsh. "The reason bad things happen to you when you're around birds is because you're a moron!" He knew it! Harsh! Brad was never nice towards Basil! Never.

"But what about Tina? And Lee, you respect him! What about him?" Basil knew that Brad could be nice to people. Never to him but Brad was nice to other people. He was charitable, saved animals. He asked Tina out on a date and had shown so much respect for Lee. Surely he couldn't have been blinded by the need for revenge.

"They humiliated me." Basil couldn't understand why so many popular kids thought revenge was the answer to everything. "That's all that matters."

"But what if I were to say that this whole thing was just one big misunderstanding?" Brad brutally pushed Basil against a locker. He then looked around. No one had seen him push Basil.

"If you were ever to do that I would drag you to the pool, throw you in and watch you drown!" Brad whispered. He whispered in a manner that made him terrifying to Basil who was completely intimidated by Brad. "Understood?" Basil wished he could stand up to Brad. He did not want to be pushed around by this sinister Apollo. It seemed that Brad was no different from the Tree Huggers. Or was he? The Tree Huggers nearly ended up killing people because of their insane animal saving tactics. Brad was threatening Basil just because he was question the taller boy. As much as Basil wished he didn't, he nodded. "Good, after school then." Brad walked while Basil slumped to the floor in shame. The only way to prevent this would be to kill Murder and that itself was suicidal.


	32. Chapter 32

**Welcome back, gang. I've gotta say I never would have imagined that this would have gotten reviews. Sure it helps that I update every two days but I guess that's what helps.**

**Suddenly Sane**

Basil started to walk to his drama class. So much happening all in one day, he had trouble wrapping his head around it. Why was everything happening so fast? Suddenly Basil bumped into Holger. Holger looked serious and that was something Basil did not think possible. But if what he had heard about Holger thinking Cam was a robot was true… then he was possibly insane… more so than usual.

"Basil, Holger hear about selling out for protection from hurt." Basil's jaw dropped. Holger wasn't calling Basil 'Balder' and he wasn't referring to himself as 'Heimdall.' "We no more friends." Basil couldn't believe this! Just not was Holger suddenly sane but in his broken English he successfully told Basil that they were no longer friends because of Biffy's misunderstanding. Biffy? Was he single handedly turning Basil's friends against him?

"Yeah, okay." Basil started to walk away but stopped when he heard thunder. So it would be that kind of storm. Good. Better to be struck by lightning than to be torn to shreds by Murder.

Things seemed to keep getting worse for Basil. His friends were turning against him, he was in danger of being beaten by a mob of angry students if he didn't have Brad's protection, Brad had roped him into a revenge scheme and was causing him pain and taking cruel pleasure in doing so, Barrage had sentenced him to two weeks of solitary detention, Legendre had supposedly loaned Murder to Barrage there was no way it could get worse! It possibly could but Basil didn't want to think about that.

Speaking of everything happening so quickly, after Holger came Chaz. Basil sighed. "Yeah, okay." Basil walked past Chaz, leaving the former newshound to wonder what just happened. Basil shook his head as he realized that he'd have to break up with Brandy. He didn't love her and if he was going to choose lightning over Murder then it would be best if she didn't have to dress up in black.


	33. Chapter 33

**Welcome back, gang, Hope you enjoy this one since the next chapter won't be up until Monday.**

**Break Up**

Basil watched as Brandy walked up to him. Standing in the drama hallway, Basil frowned and looked down.

"What's the matter?" Brandy placed a hand on Basil shoulder. It wasn't roughly holding his shoulder, not like Brad's hands. Brandy's were gentle. "Did Barrage give you a third week of solitary detention?" If only.

"Brandy, I don't think things are going to work out between us." Basil was just going straight to the point. Brandy gasped in shock. The unhappy look on Basil's face was like the shock on Brandy's.

"But we just got together!" Brandy wasn't crying. Basil was impressed. "Why do you want to break up?"

"I've got a lot of explaining to do." Basil breathed and then looked Brandy in the eye. "First off, I did send that picture of you with snakes for hair." Brandy shook her head. She had believed it was him but at the same time she didn't believe it. "Secondly, the feelings aren't mutual. I was aware of you felt toward me and saw that as a means to get the jocks protection."

"You… you were going to use me?"

"Yes but that wouldn't have been any use since I found out that Murder had attacked the jocks yesterday. I had thought he had attacked them the first time he came here but apparently I was wrong." Basil looked away from Brandy. "It gets worse! Students other than the jocks have been attacked by Murder and then all would like nothing more than to beat me to a pulp as an angry mob. I begged someone for help and I got roped into a revenge scheme against the best friends I could ask for. I simply can't help him hurt them. There is only one way out and I'd prefer if you not have to wear black."

"What are you talking about?"

"Being struck by lightning can be fatal." Basil walked away leaving Brandy alone. Brandy then realized that Basil wasn't headed for solitary detention. She knew what he was going to do.


	34. Chapter 34

**Welcome back, gang. We've reached the climax of the story and I hope you enjoy it.**

**Basil Triumphant**

"Basil?" Basil turned his head and looked down at Lee, Tina, Brandy, Biffy, Cam, Holger and Chaz. He was standing on the roof of Barrage's car. "What are you doing?"

"Don't try to stop me, Lee!" Basil had his right hand on the strap of his backpack. "This is the only way to make up for what I've done! This is the only way to get out of this."

"What are you being all dramatic about?" Basil frowned and looked at Tina. She thought he was being dramatic?

"Lee, Tina, you won't believe what I'm going to tell you."

"When have we ever not believed you?" Lee's question had a good point. When had Lee and Tina not believed something he said?

"Well, I ended up begging Brad Von Chilstein for protection from the students that were attacked by Murder and I got roped into a revenge scheme against the two of you, said revenge scheme is for that little misunderstanding on Wednesday and before you ask I was there buying a copy of 'King Lear' so naturally I saw the whole thing, the first plan was a cookie dough explosion but after I deliberately saved you two from it, plan b was created by Brad not me and plan b involves sending Murder after the two of you which as we all know won't work since Murder will just go after me so I've come to the conclusion that the only way out of this is to be struck by lightning which will kill me." There was a moment of silence and then Lee and Tina ended up speaking in unison.

"I don't believe you."

"What did I tell you?" Cam's voice made Basil's skin crawl. All of that hostility from early did not help. "He's loco in the coco!"

"Basil, Brad's actually a nice guy." Basil looked at Lee. He couldn't believe this! Lee defending Brad after he asked out Tina? Had the world gone mad? "Now let's just get to our respective detentions."

"That is all a facade!" Basil would have stomped a foot in anger but considering he was standing on the roof of Barrage's car that probably wouldn't end too well.

"Also it's been thundering all afternoon so it probably there probably won't be any lightning." Tina's statement was true. It had been thundering all afternoon but Basil was not going to give up. He wanted lightning! Suddenly, Murder's squawking could be heard.

"Basil!" Basil turned his head and across the parking lot he saw Brad holding Murder's cage with Murder in it. "You're not getting out that easy! When you are dead then you are out!" Brad then placed his hand on the door of Murder's cage. "By the way, accidents do happen!" Brad opened the cage door and almost instantly, Murder flew at Basil.

Basil threw his bag at Murder! Unfortunately, it missed. Basil gulped in horror. "You think I'd be better at this by now!" Basil jumped off the roof of Barrage's car and ran for his life. It was better to be in solitary detention than to be out here with Murder after him! Basil was heading for the entrance! He had to get to solitary detention! Basil stopped as he saw Steve waiting for him. There was a look of dread on Basil's face as Steve looked at Murder, walked into the school and held the doors shut from the inside. Murder's squawking alerted Basil and he ducked, causing the vulture to crash into the doors. Basil laughed as he looked at the dazed bird. "You missed me you stupid bird!" Basil's laughing stopped when Murder flew at him, effectively knocking him down.

As Basil was struggling against Murder, Brad walked over to Basil and stood over him. "You know I think I liked you better with that leg injury. You couldn't really run could you?" Basil wasn't running now. Basil threw Murder at Brad, knocking him down and causing Murder hit the library window, alerting the cleaners to what was going one outside. Basil stood up and looked down at Brad.

"Listen and listen good you pompous, obnoxious, spoiled brat momma's of a baboon." Brad glared at Basil. He was telling him what to do? "Don't ever mess with my friends."

"What are you going to do? Kick me when I'm down?" Lee and Tina both starred at the two. One the son of a famous actor the other the son of a famous and deceased author!

"I'm not like you and I won't be your lackey." There was a grin on Brad's face. Basil starred with a puzzled look on his face. What was he grinning about? Murder's squawking then came to Basil's ears. Basil turned his head just as Barrage came out of the school holding a laptop with Legendre on the video screen. Basil had no chance of escaping Murder. The vulture was so close that its talons would soon met Basil's eyes. Then the unexpected happened. The Red Tatztelwurm, from out of nowhere leapt at Murder. Murder started spiraling out of control as he attemoted to get the Tatzelwurm off of his back.

"Get that blasted bestial critter off of my vulture!" Legendre shouted at Barrage, not realizing he had the intercom on and that everything was being heard by the student body of Xanadu. Once Murder had shaken the Tatzelwurm off of him, the greatest bit of luck happened: Murder was struck by lightning! Legendre's eyes widened and his mouth was hanging open Barrage had the exact same expression on his face. "Murder's dead…" Legendre starred in disbelief before yelling angrily, still not realizing the intercom was on. "MURDER'S DEAD!" A cheer could be heard from Xanadu on the laptop. Barrage starred in disbelief as he just realized that his friend had lost a bit of control over the school he was principal. He would have to make sure that would not happen to him. Barrage turned his head to look at Basil he turned his arm holding the laptop so Legendre could see too. Both had the same look on their face when Lee had received yearlong detention. Brad Von Chilstein was walking away in defeat. Basil then turned to face Barrage and Legendre. "Well, well, it seems that even when you're attending another school you're still a thorn in my side!"

"You boy, for Murder's death, are getting solitary detention for the rest of the year!" Barrag starred down at Basil. There was a grin on Basil's face. Basil wasn't looking at Barrage. He wasn't looking at Legendre. He was looking at Vice Principal Victoria walking towards Barrage.

"There won't be any punishment for Basil Hagen, Principal Barrage." Barrage turned around to look at Victoria. The unhappy look on Legendre's face at this news was the same as Barrage's. Neither wanted Basil to get away with this. "Basil didn't kill Murder, lightning did, a force of nature." Legendre glared at Victoria. She dared deny him vengeance for Murder's death. "Besides as Basil's mother told me, Murder was responsible for the death of his dog Macbeth and his cat Othello. It would seem that justice has been served as the saying goes." Legendre placed a hand around the intercom and started to squeeze it angrily. Justice for Basil but no revenge for Legendre? What was wrong with the world? "And further more, I was looking over acceptable punishments for what Basil did and the type of punishment you have given him is unacceptable so he will be spending his two weeks of detention the same way Lee Ping and Biffy Goldstein do." There was a sickening sound as Legendre completely destroyed the intercom microphone.

"It's just not fair!" Legendre yelled just as Barrage was struck was lightning. Barrage was unharmed but his robotic parts were frozen and the laptop was both short circuiting and malfunctioning with Legendre appearing upside down before the laptop shut down. Basil walked by Barrage, smiling as Barrage attempted to move with his robotic leg frozen by the lightning. As Basil entered the school to head to detention, the students that had been attacked by Murder starred at him with some respect. Lee and Biffy soon caught up to Basil, finding him to be a really fast walker.

"Talk about luck!" Basil laughed at Biffy's comment. "Oh, and sorry about that whole misunderstanding."

"It's alright." Basil looked at Lee, one of his two best friends at A. Nigma. "Brad won't try anything again. He can't carry out a revenge plan by himself. I really hope that the nice guy façade will be more than just a façade for him." Basil grinned and looked at the door to detention. "In the meantime, I'm triumphant."


	35. Chapter 35

**Okay, guys, the last chapter. Enjoy it and look forward to the sequel "Stranger and Stranger."**

**A Perfect Beginning **

Basil started to walk towards the door to detention. He then stopped while Lee and Biffy walked into detention. "Wait, where's my backpack?" Basil turned around and saw Chaz holding his backpack. Basil let out a sigh and took his bag. "You still owe me a favor and I'll decide what it is." Chaz frowned and walked away just as a red haired girl with green eyes walked towards Basil. Basil's eyes widened… she must have been the most beautiful girl he had even seen.

"Basil? Basil Hagen is that you?" Basil nodded. His eyes were still wide and he had no idea how this girl knew who he was. All he knew is that there was something going on with his heart. "Oh, my gosh! I haven't seen you since you're fifth birthday party. Lee and Tina were there too. You remember that?" Basil shook his head.

"I don't remember much about being five besides watching my Grampa Preston have a heart attack and die right in front of me." The girl then nodded.

"That's right, you moved away not long after the funeral." Basil had known Lee and Tina beforehand? He had known this girl? He knew people from A. Nigma besides Brad? "I'm Margarita Tejada by the way." Margarita. So now he had a name to go with this face. "I heard you were going to school here now. I tried looking for you but now I guess it's because of how your face looks that kept me from finding you. What happened? A tv explode?"

"Car accident actually." Basil turned his head as a strange sound came to his ears. It was Barrage, his robotic parts still frozen from the lightning moving with great difficulty. Basil then looked back at Margarita. "Look, I gotta get into detention, Margarita, so I'll see you around okay." Margarita nodded and walked away. Basil watched her as she walked away with a goofy look on his face. What was this wonderful feeling in his heart? Basil's face then returned too normal as Barrage started to get closer. With his robotic leg dragging across the floor it only begged the question of how did Barrage get up the front steps? Basil just walked into detention. Basil turned his head and saw a teacher sleeping. Basil then looked at Lee and Biffy. "Was he here yesterday?" They both nodded. "You think I'd remember him." Basil walked over to a desk and sat down. "Oh, Lee?"

"Yeah?"

"You know that agonizing sound outside? The one that sounds like stuffed ferret crashing into human knees?" Lee blinked. He heard a sound but he would never describe it as sounding like… that! "That's Barrage, his robotic parts are still frozen so I'd advise you stay here since he'll probably be sticking nearby."

"What?" Basil and Lee turned around to look at a laughing Biffy. "How'd he get up the steps?"

"You're the one ho knows everything!" Lee's comment made Basil laugh. "You tell us?" Biffy groaned. His own claim turned against him! Basil sighed and then placed his hands behind his head as he leaned back in his seat.

"This must be the longest Tuesday ever!" Basil then turned his head to look at Lee. "Say Lee, have we ever met before?" Lee shrugged.

"I don't know." Biffy raised an eyebrow at the sudden change of conversation. "I remember having had a friend named Basil in kindergarten but besides that I'm not really sure." Lee looked over at Lee and could have sworn there was something suddenly familiar about Basil. Had he ever worn glasses? "Why?"

"Oh, just thinking about something a girl said to me." A smirk appeared on Biffy's face just as Lee shook his head realizing what was going to happen.

"So first smoochy face here and now you here going all hunchback of Notre-Dame." Lee winced. Biffy's choice of words was unfortunately insulting. "Oh crap, sorry man." Basil just laughed. He didn't care that Biffy had accidentally insulted him. He was just happy about how things were looking up for him. Maybe not for Lee, but for him things were looking up.

"So you were buying a copy of King Lear when you that mishap with Brad happened, you named your dog Macbeth and your cat Othello?" Basil turned his head to look at Lee. "Do you have an obsession with Shakespeare or something?"

"Is there a problem with that?" Lee shook his head.

"No, no problem."

"It's just that we're all in the same English class so maybe you could help us when we start 'Twelfth Night' tomorrow." Basil grinned and turned to look at Biffy.

"Of course I'll help. You're all my friends." A smile appeared on Lee and Biffy's faces. Basil sure was different from how he started out. "Biffy, you're my friend. Cam, Holger and Brandy are my friends. Lee, you and Tina are my best friends. Of course I'll help. I'll help everyone in our English class." Lee raised an eyebrow.

"Brad included?" Basil closed his eyes, leaned back, placed his hands behind his head and then shook his head.

"Hell no!" Lee and Biffy looked each other. They then both looked at Basil.

"So, why don't you two like each other?" Basil didn't turn his head to look at Lee. He didn't even open his eyes.

"Long story, dads didn't like each other so Brad torments me for fun." Lee shook his head. Basil was going to do the same thing when Lee had explained the hypnotizing effect of the prank song to Cyrus. "Short story, my dad kept being chosen to adapt his own books for the screen, Ace Von Chilstein always got a role and kept butchering my dad's work causing arguments between the two. Later me and Brad are at Camp Wanna something or other, Brad pushes me into the lake for fun, I nearly drown, so now you know."

"So really this just between you and him." Basil nodded.

"That's right, Lee, you have your Moriarty and I have mine." Lee gasped.

"How do you know about RadCircles?"

"He called me once. How he got my number I have no idea but I guess he was trying blackmail me with the information of me having once had a god complex. That isn't anything to worry about anymore since I told Cam earlier and now the whole school knows."

"Yeah, talk about irony." Biffy patted his cat still unable to comprehend how ironic it was of which god Basil had thought he was.

"So, you're on my side?" Basil opened his eyes and turned to look at Lee. There was a smile on his face as he nodded. Just then Basil's phone started to ring. Basil straightened up, took his phone out of his pocket and answered it. "Hello?"

"Basil? It's Roman!"

"Hey, man, what's up?"

"I've got you on speaker phone, can you put your phone on speaker, too?"

"Uh… okay." Basil put his phone on speaker then placed it on the desk. "So what are you calling about that has to be on speaker?"

"Where to start? Legendre having a mental breakdown! Clarence having a heart attack! Both being taken to a hospital! Personally, I hope Legendre ends up in a straightjacket and Clarence six feet under but what everyone, and when I say everyone I mean every student here at Xanadu wants to know is how did Murder die? We can't remember the last time we were happy to be at school! Oh, and I'd not visit here if I were you during school, the girl's would probably throw flowers at you or try to tear your clothes off! You're a hero, my man!" Basil looked back at Lee and Biffy. They were both trying to get past the part of that monster of a vice principal they had seen earlier having had a heart attack. "But what we really, really wanna know is… how'd you do it?"

"Do you want me to tell the truth or lie?" Biffy and Lee both starred at Basil questioningly. In Lee's case it was similar to the look he had given Holger when he started dancing in the halls to attract the attention of the passing glamazons on the first day of school.

"Let's start with the lie. It's probably more interesting." There was a laugh from the students of Xanadu, Basil, Lee and Biffy. Basil smiled as he looked down at the phone. He took a sheet of lined paper with writing on it out of his backpack and a pen too. Instantly, he started to make edits to the writing on the paper. He was finished quickly. Basil held up the paper to read. Lee and Biffy both shook their heads and leaned in closely so they could get a closer look. Basil then began to read from the paper with pride and enthusiasm.

"Well, you know, it wasn't easy!"

**The End**


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